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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23759653">Persona: All the World's a Stage</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/msperfectsheep/pseuds/msperfectsheep'>msperfectsheep</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Persona 2, Persona 3, Persona 4, Persona 5, Persona Series, Persona | Revelations Persona</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Crossover, Hi yes there are more characters but I wont tag them because they're minor or spoilers, I know, I probably won't do shipping because usually it makes people angry, Maybe - Freeform, P3 protags? We'll see, Ryoji? Maybe, This Side Tatsuya, Who Knows?, baofu is older though, no innocent sin cast :(, oh yeah there will def be god shennanigans, persona 1 cast is old, this is a rewrite, we still stan Eikichi Mishina and Lisa Silverman and Jun Kurusu, y'all should know why</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 17:22:16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>20,756</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23759653</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/msperfectsheep/pseuds/msperfectsheep</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>He stared at the text on his phone, like if he looked at it long enough it would disappear. It didn't, instead just sitting there tauntingly on the bright screen. </p><p>It'd been over 20 years. Why now, of all times, was he being brought back into something that happened in high school?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>47</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>105</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Writing the Script</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Saturday, the 7th of May</p><p>It was another restless night. Minutes of flopping around on the bed, trying to find a position fit for making one drowsy, minutes of staring at the bedside clock's digital display and watching as slowly, 3:27 AM turned to 3:28 AM, and minutes of waiting for the sun to finally rise and for one to have a reason for being awake. </p><p>And that was exactly what Naoya Toudou was doing. There was no reason for him to be awake. He had a "job" to get to in the morning. He had a dog to feed, and bills to pay. He couldn't afford to be restless. Being restless meant he would be tired, and being tired meant a worse performance. </p><p>But apparently his mind decided thinking about how hard it would be to build a toaster was more important than paying the bills.</p><p>He flopped over once more and tried to close his eyes. Take a deep breath and just focus on nothing. Count to 1000. </p><p>He got to 56 before he opened his eyes again. This time, it wasn't simply because he just wasn't tired(although that was the truth), but it was because his phone told him he'd been sent a text. </p><p>Very few people he knew would be up at this hour, and Mark and Elly were respectful enough to wait until their time zones aligned.</p><p>So either it was a spam texter, a misdial, or something urgent. He got out of bed, stretched, and opened up his phone. One swipe, two taps, and three rereads before he fully understood what he just read.</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>Kei Nanjo, Today at 3:30 AM<br/>Greetings, my former classmates and associates, </b>
</p><p>
  <b>Apologies for the early morning message. I am sorry to have sent this at such an impractical time, however, the news I bring is urgent. It cannot be discussed over text for security reasons, but in two day's time I expect to see you all at Peace Diner in Mikage-Cho for a light lunch at noon. The cost of food and travel will be covered so long as you show up. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>I look forward to seeing you all there. </b>
</p><p> </p><p>It wasn't the text itself that was throwing him off, or the weird level of secrecy Nanjo used. No, it was the fact that Kei Nanjo, a man who prided himself on timing, sent a message asking for a meeting in two days at 3 AM in the morning. </p><p>This wasn't just uncharacteristic, this was concerning. Nanjo almost never had something he deemed urgent enough to send past regular working hours, let alone when people are supposed to be asleep. </p><p> </p><p>
  <b>You, Today at 3:33 AM<br/>Hey Nanjo, you okay? Is it something big?</b>
</p><p> </p><p>He waited for a text back, but knew that Nanjo would take a while to type it out in his usual paragraph fashion. He turned off his phone, stumbled to his kitchen, and got himself a glass of water in the meanwhile.</p><p>The apartment was so quiet. Even his dog, Hikaru, was asleep. Crickets chirped outside, but other than that, nothing. It was so weird to hear after living in the city for so long. But, the countryside had a job offer and who was he to deny it? </p><p>He shook his head, breaking his train of thought. Nanjo. That's what he'd been on before. </p><p>He took a gulp of water, swallowed, and returned to check for a message. </p><p> </p><p>
  <b>Kei Nanjo, Today at 3:38 AM <br/>Ah, sorry if I worried or woke you. No, its nothing incredibly urgent, but it does require our attention relatively soon. I'll see you in two days. <br/><br/><br/>Kei Nanjo, Today at 3:38 AM<br/>Don't forget your sword and gun. You'll need it. </b>
</p><p> </p><p>Wow. </p><p>That did not answer his question at all. </p><p>Naoya sighed and put away his phone. Sending another text would just signal Nanjo to say more low-calorie nonsense. A "Read" confirmation was all he was going to get. </p><p>He flopped onto his bed and closed his eyes. Maybe thinking about this would send him to sleep. </p><p>And luckily for him, at 3:46 AM, he finally drifted to the world of dreams. <br/><br/></p><p>-0-<br/><br/></p><p>
  <b>Kei Nanjo, Today at 12:57 PM<br/>It has come to my attention that Peace Diner's location in Mikage-Cho has closed down for repairs. We will be meeting at the Seison's instead. <br/></b>
</p><p>-0-<br/><br/></p><p>Monday, the 9th of May</p><p>"And so, when I talked ta the guy at the counter, I said, "Man, that's some bullshit. Ya only gave me 11 dollars when I gave ya a twenty and the bill was $6.78." And the guy-"<br/><br/>Naoya wouldn't lie that when he first heard that voice, he didn't recognize it. It sounded so American, yet it was clearly Japanese. The whole experience of it was just so bizarre he couldn't place who it belonged to at first, but after seeing the iconic yellow beanie, he knew. He slid into the seat right next to his old friend and waited for him to end his piece.</p><p>"-at the register has the nerve ta print out a whole goddamn new receipt that said that I owed him $9.78 originally and apologized for not giving me a few cents. So I coulda taken down the bastard right there and then, but I chose not ta because that would make me look bad, ya know? So instead I just decided not ta shop there again. But of course, I took the few cents he gave me first, because who wouldn't say no to a refund, even if its meager. I didn't need that money anyways, but I just hate those scumbags who steal shit and then lie about it, like those goddamn Red Sox." </p><p>The woman behind the counter laughed. "That's quite the story. I'm sorry you lost some money, but that's hilarious."</p><p>Masao Inaba, high school friend of Naoya's and renowned Street Artist of NYC, smiled and shook his head. "The bastard's working at a convenience store. He probably needs the cash. Coulda just asked though." </p><p>"I dunno." Naoya said. "I would've cussed him out from stealing from me. That's my hard earned money." That got his friend's attention. </p><p>"Holy shit, man, look at yaself! I haven't seen ya in ages! Come on, ya gotta at least gimme a hug." </p><p>"Of course I will." The two of them hugged. Masao smelled like...He smelled clean. No paint fumes, no sweat. It was surprising, but nice. </p><p>"So, you arrived early too, huh? I just got off the plane a few hours ago, but I couldn't wait ta hear what's so important ta Four-Eyes. You?"</p><p>"Uh, same? Kinda. The best train to arrive here was an hour earlier than I would've liked, but the next one was 3 hours from then and I'd be super late. So I bit the bullet and arrived early. No big deal."</p><p>Masao nodded along as Naoya talked, attentive. It was so strange seeing him in person. Sure, he'd seen his Facebook and pictures of him standing by his art, but up close, he was really, truly, real. The warm brown eyes, salt and pepper hair he'd had ever since they'd met, the little bit of unshaven stubble on his chin, the odd facial makeup that he had even back in high school. They probably hadn't spoken face to face since they wished him farewell at the airport.</p><p>The waitress passed them each a steaming cup of coffee. "I made it black. Anything you want to add in?"</p><p>"Nothing for me, thanks." Naoya waved his hand, accepted the coffee, and took a sip. It was nice. Not anything special, but something you could only get at Mom and Pop restaurants. </p><p>Masao took a sip of his and thought for a moment. "Can I get some cream in this, and just a bit of sugar?"</p><p>"I would've never taken you to be a guy who would put cream and sugar in his coffee." Naoya commented, taking another sip. </p><p>His companion snorted. "Yeah, well, after living in America for so long, ya get used ta everythin being sweeter. I'm not gonna lie, being in Japan again feels weird. Its like I'm going home but its not really home anymore." </p><p>"That's fair. I just moved to this small little village recently and man, is it weird. Everything's so quiet." </p><p>The door's bell rung, and a woman stepped in. The sound itself made both men turn to look. </p><p>There, standing in a designer coat and scarf, was Eriko Kirishima. She looked absolutely stunning. </p><p>She spotted the two of them immediately. "Bonjour, mes vieux amis!" She kissed Naoya on both cheeks and did the same to Masao, making the both of them red-faced immediately. She paid the red cheeks no mind and sat beside Masao.</p><p>"So, I see you're both doing well?"</p><p>"Mh-I mean, uh, um, yeah. We're doing good." Masao stuttered out, still recovering from the European style greeting.</p><p>"That's absolutely fantastic." She smiled as charmingly as a model, skin glowing with a youthful light and ruby-red lips parted in a sanguine smile. But, despite her seemingly perfect appearance, her eyes gleamed with the intelligence that he knew from high school. The light of someone familiar with the dark and mysterious, and one who liked it. </p><p>Same ol' Eriko. It was good to know she was still mostly the same, at least on the surface. "It is. Masao and I were just chatting about his time in America. You lived there for a bit, right?" </p><p>"Yes, in San Francisco when I was younger. Its been quite a while since I lived there full time." </p><p>She was passed a cup of coffee. "Anything you wanna add in?" The waitress asked.</p><p>She answered without even taking a sip. "A dab of honey, if you don't mind." </p><p>The waitress raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. Eriko contentedly mixed in her honey. </p><p>"And ya thought I was weird for putting in sugar." Masao snickered. </p><p>He rolled his eyes. "That's because you're you. Elly's Elly." He elbowed his old friend with a grin. </p><p>Masao smiled back, taking a gulp of his coffee just to spite Naoya. "At least ya've changed. I think in this conversation alone ya've said more ta me than every high school year combined." </p><p>"That's not true. I talked back then."</p><p>"Not very often." Eriko interjected. "You were always lost in your own world. Or Maki's, for a short period of time." </p><p>That was a throwback. "I haven't thought about that in years. Like, I know my Persona is still within me, but its been so long that it feels like Amen-Ra is just an extra limb that I've always had. A part of me." </p><p>Masao tapped his head with his pointer finger. "Susano-O occasionally says weird stuff ta me, like there was this one period back in 2011? 2012? when Susano-O was talkin' nonstop about some guy named Yosuke. And then he finally went quiet again, only ta just start up again but this time with some dude named Yusuke. I think my Persona's gone insane."  </p><p>"Nonsense." Both of the guys stared at Eriko. "Your Persona simply wishes to speak of someone else. Michael and Gabriel talk about God every now and then. They just want to talk." </p><p>"Maybe." Masao sighed and tugged his beanie a little lower. The thing was so faded it was no longer the bright mustard yellow Naoya remembered, but a mellower, soft butter yellow. It still was in great condition though, with not a hole or tear to be seen. "Though, I swear ta everythin' holy, if Nanjo brought us here ta talk about Personas, I'm gonna punch him." </p><p>Two people sitting at a nearby table perked up. The woman with graying brown hair in a messy bun approached them, while her long-haired associate with a goatee sat back. "Excuse me, but did you say Nanjo, as in Kei Nanjo?"</p><p>"Yeah. What's it ta ya?" </p><p>Eriko studied the woman for a bit, like she was deciding whether or not to speak with her. "Excusez-moi, but are you Ulala Serizawa?" </p><p>"Eriko? Oh my god, it it you! God, you look so different!" The woman pulled Eriko in for a hug. "No wonder we heard you say Nanjo. You must be some of his other friends, right?" </p><p>"Yeah. I'm Masao Inaba, but ya can call me Mark. Everyone does nowadays." Masao held out his hand for a handshake. </p><p>It was jarring to see his friends act so...foreign, with Eriko doing the cheek-kissing thing, and Masao shaking hands.</p><p>"I'm Naoya Toudou. Its a pleasure." He bowed. </p><p>Ulala shook Masao's hand and bowed back. "Well, as Eriko said, I'm Ulala, and my grumpy excuse of a partner over there is Kaoru Saga. Say hi, Kaoru!"</p><p> "Hi." He said dryly. </p><p>There was a pause where no one knew what to say. Eyes darted back and forth, daring someone to speak and start a new conversation. It was Ulala who bit. </p><p>"Well, we've been here for a while, its just I didn't recognize you guys at all. I think Katsuya's showing up soon with Tatsu, and then Ma-ya texted me that she and Yukki were going to be late. Anything on your end, Eriko?"</p><p>"I'm unsure about my former classmates' whereabouts." </p><p>Masao cleared his throat. "Well, uh, Maki's on her way with Ayase and Brown, and uh, I have no idea where Kido or Nanjo are." </p><p>"Fine with me. We can learn about each other in the meanwhile." Ulala saddled up next to Eriko, taking a swig from some sort of flask. "So, you boys are her high school friends, huh?"</p><p>Kaoru made no move to change his position, instead opting to take out a laptop and work on there rather than interacting. </p><p>"Yep. We went to St. Hermelin and graduated in '97." </p><p>They went on exchanging simple background stories, like where they went to school, who they met first, mutual friends. </p><p>"Ya're sayin' ya think ya're friends with Nanjo? Please. As if that prick is capable of liking people." Masao snorted. </p><p>Ulala furrowed her brow. "I know what I said. He's not whatever he was in high school. He's a little snobby, that's for sure, but not a prick."  </p><p>"Look, I get that people change. But not eve-"</p><p>The door's bell rung, and about 5 people walked in all at once. Some, Naoya vaguely recognized. Maki, with her soft brown hair and eyes, and Hidehiko, who was on TV every other night for some sort of comedy skit. The woman with black hair and a ponytail...he didn't recognize her at all. Same with the two brunette men who looked nearly identical. </p><p>"-n...Ayase?" Masao dropped the argument about Nanjo immediately. Naoya squinted at the black haired woman. She had the wide, circular eyes Ayase was know for, but she was so much...different. </p><p>"Its Yuka Hara now, but yeah. Nice to see you guys again." </p><p>So it was her. Sure, 20 years had passed, but even her voice was so much deeper and smooth. She was no longer the girl who wore a band-aid on her neck to pretend she always had hickeys, or the girl who dyed her hair blonde so much that it started to fall apart after all the bleaching. She was a...She looked like a mom. A tired, semi-satisfied face, smile lines, and motherly hips. </p><p>Naoya finally mustered a greeting. "Nice to see you again as well. Its been a while, huh?" </p><p>Back in high school, everyone was so tight. But after college, and jobs, and life, the bonds faded and faded until it seemed they were never really there. He never forgot his friends, just moved on to new focuses.</p><p>"It sure has." Maki gave a little wave. With the rectangular frames perched across her nose, she looked just like her mother. </p><p>Hidehiko snorted. "What's with all this sentimental crap? You guys are all wet-blankets."   </p><p>"Like you, the crybaby, have any space to talk." Yuka argued back. Her words were harsh, but she was smiling. </p><p>"Shut up!" </p><p>"How long have they been arguing like this?" Naoya asked Maki while Yuka and Hidehiko argued about any and everything possible. </p><p>The therapist shrugged. "However long it takes to drive from Sumaru to here. We picked Hara and Hidehiko up from the airport and drove from there. Well, Tatsuya drove actually, but you get what I mean."</p><p>"Maki, I don't think he's familiar with the Suou's." Eriko said. </p><p>Naoya wasn't, but he had enough common sense to tell that Tatsuya was one of the brunettes behind Maki. </p><p>"I'm Katsuya." The shorter one in a blue dress shirt explained. "And this is my brother, Tatsuya." The only difference between the two was the color of shirt, haircut, and height. And even then, it was minute. </p><p>Nevertheless, Naoya bowed. "Nice to meet you both. I am Naoya Toudou." </p><p>"Hey Katsuya! Tatsuya! Glad you came!" Ulala waved from  the counters.  </p><p>By then, the number of people only continued to increase. Masao, Naoya, and Eriko moved their belongings to a group of tables they pushed together to form a mega-table, and one by one, the seats filled. People reacted to each other all jovially, like everyone was an old cousin they remembered fondly. Even when Reiji arrived, people smiled. The salesman looked so confused by their reactions, but not offended. He slid into a seat and kept mostly to himself, unless he was personally addressed. </p><p>It was good to have such a happy atmosphere. Yukino and her partner, a charismatic and bubbly reporter named Maya Amano, came into the diner like one of Nanjo's friends were famous-well, some were, like Masao, Hidehiko, and Eriko, but it wasn't like they were actually coming in just for an interview. Yukino didn't look as different as Hara(it was weird thinking of Ayase by that name), but not as similar as Maki either. </p><p>Finally, all that was left was Nanjo. It was past noon, and by everyone's constant checking of the  clocks on their phones, watches, and on the wall, Naoya knew that everyone thought something was wrong with his tardiness. He had to agree. For someone who was such a stickler for the rules as Nanjo, being late by nearly an hour was not a good thing. </p><p>Just to keep themselves busy, everyone ordered a dish and ate in the meanwhile, just to burn some time. </p><p>A silence eventually settled over the group as the clock struck 1. Everyone had eaten, greeted each other, and caught up on what seemed to be the most important thing that happened in the past 20 years. </p><p>No one <em>wanted</em> to speak. Most people either stared at each other or brought out their phones, either to boredly scroll through their social media pages or to text Nanjo. </p><p>1: 10, nothing. </p><p>1:15, nothing. </p><p>1:20, nothing. </p><p>1:25, nothing.</p><p>1:27-something.</p><p>The door opened, and in sync, everyone's head turned. It was like something out of a movie. In walked not just one person, no, but two. </p><p>The first was recognizable to all. He was Japan's Minister of Foreign Affairs, after all. The one and only Kei Nanjo. But the second, a woman with striking red hair...no one recognized her at all. </p><p>"Greetings." He bowed deeply, and the woman behind him did the same. An assistant of some sort? No, she was dressed too fancily. Her diamond earrings were a clear sign of that. </p><p>"What the hell, Nanjo." Yukino asked angrily. "You said noon. Everyone was worried sick!" She stood up and marched right over to him. </p><p>"You have absolutely no excuse for not texting anyone. You may have a reason for why you're so late, but I know for a fact you carry 3 backup phones on you." </p><p>He looked at her with the most passive face possible and waited for her to be done. "I'm sorry. My cousin and I were discussing important matters in the meanwhile and I had my phones turned off." </p><p>Yukino's face relaxed slightly. "Fine. But you explain damn-well what you gathered us all here for. I had to rearrange 4 shoots today." She sat down and glared. </p><p>"Alright." He remained standing. "You all are my comrades from Sumaru and Mikage-Cho. But, there's something you share in common with each other that's not just your relation to me. As Eriko and Yukino may have guessed already, every single one of you were Persona Users."</p><p>A few nodded to confirm the statement. Some just passively stared.  </p><p>"The reason I gathered you all here today is that my cousin, the leader and founder of a group dedicated to hunting demons-" The cousin flinched at the word, but made no verbal sign of disagreement.</p><p>-"has asked for our help. There is a large group of demons centered in Tokyo as of late, and the signs she is getting indicated that not even her team can successfully take down the threat their signs are warning them about. I will let her explain the rest."</p><p>"Thank you." Her voice was such a contrast to his. Both of their words were weighted, but her words were more caring. More emotional. even just by a smidge. </p><p>"I am Mitsuru Kirijo, owner of the Kirijo conglomerate."<br/><br/>Whispers flew across the room. Everyone knew that name if they worked in any office in Japan. To know that Nanjo was only more powerful and rich through his cousin...<br/><br/>It was odd. <br/><br/>"As Kei just said, my team and I have dedicated ourselves to fighting <em>Shadows</em> all across the world. Usually its a quick job. Find the source, eliminate it, and destroy what's left. But not in Tokyo. Our machines have picked up activity reminiscent to what happened in Tatsumi Port Island in 2009, but even more dangerous. There have been indicators that what's brewing there is something never seen. We have no idea what the enemy's objective is, but it is clear they do not wish to be peaceful."</p><p>"Why us? Its been 20 years since some of us have summoned our persona. Didn't you say you had a specialized group?" Yuka asked. </p><p>Kirijo nodded. "We do. However, it seems that there is a major difference between your groups and my own. See, we can only summon one persona, and not, erm, naturally. For a period I would summon it in a separate realm in which Shadows thrive, but since the realm no longer exists, I must summon my Persona in the real world, like you all. The real difference is, I must use a tool called an Evoker to evoke my Persona." </p><p>Whispers flew across the table. </p><p>Maya raised her arm, like a school girl. </p><p>"Yes, Ms. Amano?" Nanjo called. </p><p>"Why are the Evokers needed? Were you able to summon your Persona on the Other Side? Were you able to access the Other Side? Is that why Tatsuya is here as well?" Questions flew out of her mouth like bullets. Yukino, Hidehiko, Eriko, Masao, and the Suou brothers seemed unfazed from them, but the others looked at Maya strangely. </p><p>Kirijo continued calmly. "I do not know what the Other Side is, nor do I know who Tatsuya is, but its possible, or, shall I say, was possible for me to summon my Persona due to a pocket in time called the Dark Hour. It no longer exists, but it used to an hour that occurred right between 12:00 and 12:01. Most people simply were in a stasis during the hour. An evoker is simply a tool that my crew needs to summon our Personas. Neither my crew nor my cousin have the faintest idea why we need an Evoker."</p><p>More questions erupted. "How come we didn't know about this hour?" "Why is Tatsuya here then?" "You still haven't explained the 1 Persona thing!" "What's a Persona?" "Why'd you say Shadows? Nanjo said Demons!"</p><p>"EVERYONE! CALM DOWN!" Maki yelled, forcing everyone to stop instantly. "Thank you. I understand that you're all confused. I am too. But we need to give them space to explain. Perhaps your questions will even be answered unintentionally during another explanation." </p><p>Nanjo straightened his baby blue tie. "Many thanks, Ms. Sonomura. I will explain each question to the best of my ability, starting with the one I heard first, which was "How come you didn't know about this hour?" Mitsuru, mind leading the explanation on this one?"</p><p>She nodded. "Of course. The reason many do not recall or know of the Dark Hour is because either they perished from the Shadows active during that time and were never able to tell the tale, or they were locked up in their coffins, a product of their psyche protecting them from the truth of the 25th hour. Those who perished in the Dark Hour did not exactly die per se, but became a victim of Apathy Syndrome."</p><p>Maki frowned. "I remember reading about the cases of Apathy Syndrome, also known as Mass Lethargy syndrome. Cases popped up in several major cities in bursts over the past decade, from Tatsumi Port Island to the smaller town of Inaba. The victims of said syndrome go into a vegetative state overnight, and are unable to return to normal. Many of the victims are left to die, for there is no hope of recovery." </p><p>The red-haired heiress looked a bit surprised, which was more emotion than what she'd shown the group before. "...Yes, that is all true."</p><p>"Not only that, but similar cases have been happening in Tokyo. Normally, hospitals would consider this to be another one of the bursts that have gone on in the past, but there is one significant difference between the past cases and the current ones. The patients there die almost instantly, with there being one exception of a man who actually survived long enough to be admitted to a hospital before dying. Unfortunately, with the sudden deaths, its nearly impossible to compare the two cases before the patient passes." Maki continued. </p><p>Masao whistled. "Damn Maki, no wonder ya're into psychology."</p><p>"...That answers that. But back to you calling Demons, "Shadows". What's up with that? Shadows are completely different beasts as far as I'm concerned." Ulala spoke up, ending the old conversation swiftly and jumping into a new one.</p><p>"Because they are Shadows? I don't quite comprehend your question." </p><p>Nanjo shook his head. "I'll answer this. To put it shortly, what we call Demons is what Mitsuru and her group call "Shadows", and her group has not faced their own Shadows, or if they have, I am unaware of it." </p><p>"And what do you consider to be a Shadow?" Kirijo quipped. </p><p>Katsuya jumped into the conversation. "The repressed part of the self. Generally it looks just like you, but with yellow eyes and a creepy voice." </p><p>That seemed to strike a bell with Nanjo's cousin. "Oh. That is what a Shadow is to you? I have encountered a few, but never my own. Only impostors of my friends." <br/><br/>That certainly brought up questions(at least in Naoya's eyes), but he kept silent.</p><p>"Like, I didn't even know what a Shadow was." Yuka complained. "Did I miss something?"</p><p>"Sumaru City in '99. You couldn't make it." Yukino whispered. </p><p>"Oh, okay." She whispered back. </p><p>Nanjo cleared his throat to gain the group's lost attention back. "Any more questions?" </p><p>"Uh, yeah, just one question I feel I can't ask in private." Tatsuya, the taller of the brunette brothers, stood. "What the hell is going on? Why am I here? What's a Persona?" </p><p>The people of Sumaru shared a worried look. Naoya couldn't understand why. He was invited here by Nanjo, so obviously he would explain. </p><p>Nanjo didn't explain. At least, not for a while. He just looked at Tatsuya sadly, like he was something broken. </p><p>"...Katsuya, Ulala, Kaoru...and Maya, I think it is time for you to tell him. The Other Side's Tatsuya said that he was connected to us through the Collective Unconscious, so may be possible to communicate with him through This Side's Tatsuya. Or, at least, give this Tatsuya the Persona the one from the Other Side had?"</p><p>Naoya blinked. "Hey Reiji, Maki, you catch any of that?" </p><p>"Nope." Both replied. </p><p>"This is a matter that can be discussed in private." Kirijo decided. "Anything else? My cousin and I must be leaving for Tatsumi Port Island shortly." </p><p>Masao waited for someone to say something, but when it was apparent on one was, he spoke up. "When will we be meeting up next?" </p><p>"Glad you asked. Shangri-La Hotel on Wednesday. There will be a conference room set up there, and rooms set up for each person who shows up. Consider it...a business trip. You may not bring along any family. It'll only be a hindrance." </p><p>Some looked like they wanted to protest, but kept silent. </p><p>"If that is all, we bid you adieu. I look forward to seeing you on Wednesday." Nanjo bowed deeply, Kirijo doing the same in sync. And without another word, they walked out. </p><p>"...Guess I'll see you guys then?" Hidehiko stood up. </p><p>"Yeah. See you there." Naoya agreed. </p><p>Before long, everyone had left in the same little groups they arrived in, and the restaurants fell silent once again. <br/><br/></p><p>-0-<br/><br/></p><p>"That went well."</p><p>The two cousins walked side by side to their personal limo parked out on the street. Seison's Cafe stood behind them, filled with Kei's former classmates and associates. The older of the two side-eyed his cousin for her sarcastic comment, but showed no other signs of disapproval. </p><p>"I agree. For people who have not thought about their Personas for 20 years, they took it incredibly well." Kei waited for the chauffeur to open the limo door and stepped inside after Mitsuru.  </p><p>She rolled her eyes and pulled out a sparkling water. "Of course you would feel that. You have not worked with people who know what they're doing and will take information with little questioning. I hope that when you see the organization and skill of my teams that you will learn to appreciate the Kirijo group for what it is." </p><p>The two stared each other in the eyes, brown boring into red, red staring daggers at brown. It was a rivalry unlike anything either had experienced before, and while it was infuriating at times, especially when they argued over who paid for what, it was also enjoyable. A person at their level of expertise, mind against mind, family against family, but both for the world's benefit.</p><p>"I look forward to experiencing what makes your group of Persona-Users so superior, especially since they can only handle one persona, and not even in the real world." He kept his tone completely flat to add to the joke, and by the way Mitsuru's nostrils flared, Kei could tell it was the right decision. </p><p>She shook it off with a delicate sip of her sparkling water. "I'm sure you are." </p><p>He had no witty retort worth saying, so he hopped to a separate subject. "So why do you need the help of 13 talented Persona users when you have an entire branch of the police under your belt? Couldn't you force them to play the Persona game and gain users that way?" They'd discussed the task at hand days before, but not the specifics. Now that they were alone in the limousine, he could get everything he needed. </p><p>"Let us recount your associates' accomplishments. My team successfully stopped Nyx from destroying the Earth, but your High School team delayed her plans by fighting the Night Queen, a smaller and weaker facet of her, yes, but just that fight alone is the reason we were able to have time to defeat her. Then, the Sumaru Group managed to fight the God of Chaos and defeat him, stopping the Earth from being destroyed. Already, that makes your groups on par with my own, accomplishment wise. But then there's more, specifically relating to the cases of Apathy Syndrome mentioned earlier."<br/><br/>"Which is?"</p><p>"We have reason to believe Ms. Sonomura's Ideal World, as talked about in Takahisa Kandori's notes, is something similar to what is going on in Tokyo with the Mental Shutdowns. Doctors have found nothing wrong with the patients medically other than the fact the conscious part of the brain is dead. Even the heart still beats after succumbing to the Mental Shutdown. Therefore, it is possible that the psyche itself in being destroyed. And how would one destroy another's psyche?"<br/><br/>"Through the DEVA System...a world completely made by one's psyche. If one were to kill another's Ideal Self, it could completely destroy the mind." </p><p>The look in Mitsuru's eyes were that of a well-kept blade. Deadly, sharp, and accurate. "Precisely." <br/><br/></p><p>-0-<br/><br/></p><p>Monday, the 9th of May</p><p>About an hour or so left until he was willing to row back to shore. The sun had finally begun to set, and with it hiding behind a large clump of clouds, Yu could easily just sit in his rowboat and fish without having to worry about going blind from staring directly at the powerful rays. The day had been relaxing and peaceful, with a few good catches here and there that would make a good amount of pocket money. It wasn't usual for a guy in his early twenties to enjoy fishing all day, but then again, Yu would consider himself pretty unusual by most people's standards. </p><p>He glanced at the water, saw no fish, and returned to reading a cheap tabloid magazine. There were pictures of Sapphire, Kanamin, and other super stars that sang pop. He didn't personally like their music all that much, but he would still buy at least a copy of each album Rise dropped just to support her career. Not like she needed it though. Her star was brighter than ever before, and it seemed her fame wouldn't fade for several years to come. </p><p>It was weird, thinking of her being this big pop sensation. Because the Rise he knew...she seemed so real, so genuine. It was the same with Naoto, except he could really see Naoto in the job she had. It fit her perfectly. </p><p>He flipped to another page to read about some rising bands in America. Panic! at the Disco this Twenty-One Pilots that. It was just basic things he could read about with not much thought. His phone went off a few times with a few messages, but knowing that Teddie had full access to the internet and vines, Yu assumed it was just a few funny videos he could watch later.</p><p>But the notifications started piling up. A constant pinging noise emanating from his pocket. Either Teddie was spamming the group chat, or someone wanted his attention. </p><p>He put down the magazine and pulled out his phone. The texts were from...</p><p>Labrys?</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>Labrys, Today at 4:26 PM<br/>Yo<br/></b>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <b>Labrys, Today at 4:27 PM<br/>Hey <br/><br/></b>
</p><p>
  <b>Labrys, Today at 4:28 PM<br/>Yu<br/></b>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <b>Labrys, Today at 4:28 PM<br/>Na<br/></b>
</p><p>
  <b>Labrys, Today at 4:28 PM<br/>Ru<br/></b>
</p><p>
  <b>Labrys, Today at 4:28 PM<br/>Kami<br/><br/></b>
</p><p>
  <b>Labrys, Today at 4:29 PM<br/>You on?<br/></b>
</p><p>
  <b>Labrys, Today at 4:29 PM<br/>I dont think you are but thats ok<br/><br/></b>
</p><p>
  <b>Labrys, Today at 4:29 PM<br/>anyways<br/></b>
</p><p>
  <b>Labrys, Today at 4:30 PM<br/>I kinda did something because <br/><br/></b>
</p><p>
  <b>Labrys, Today at 4:30 PM<br/>uh<br/><br/></b>
</p><p>
  <b>Labrys, Today at 4:30 PM<br/>something big is gonna happen soon<br/><br/></b>
</p><p>
  <b>Labrys, Today at 4:30 PM<br/>we need to talk<br/><br/></b>
</p><p>
  <b>Labrys, Today at 4:34 PM<br/>ttyl, i guess </b>
</p><p> </p><p>He quickly tried to text her back, hoping she hadn't gone offline yet. </p><p> </p><p>
  <b>You, Today at 4:35 PM<br/>Sorry, was fishing<br/><br/></b>
</p><p>
  <b>You, Today at 4:35 PM<br/>What's going on?</b>
</p><p> </p><p>He watched the screen, trying to tilt it at an angle that would block the sun's rays and make it easier to read. </p><p> </p><p>
  <b>Labrys is typing...<br/><br/></b>
</p><p><b>Labrys, Today at 4:36 PM<br/></b> <b>Ey, you are on<br/><br/></b></p><p>
  <b>Labrys, Today at 4:36 PM<br/>Can you call me from a payphone?</b>
</p><p><b><br/>You, Today at 4:37 PM<br/></b> <b>Sure? </b></p><p><b><br/>Labrys, Today at 4:37 PM<br/></b> <b>Great. Call the following set of numbers:</b></p><p><b><br/>Labrys, Today at 4:37 PM <br/></b> <b>0790</b></p><p><b><br/>Labrys, Today at 4:38 PM<br/></b> <b>The number of people you lived with in Inaba 3 years ago(yourself not included)</b></p><p><b><br/>Labrys, Today at 4:38 PM<br/></b> <b>The number of people with Plumes of Dust that you have met</b></p><p><b><br/>Labrys, Today at 4:38 PM<br/></b> <b>The first number again</b></p><p><b><br/>Labrys, Today at 4:39 PM<br/></b> <b>The number of dogs that you own</b></p><p><b><br/>Labrys, Today at 4:39 PM<br/></b> <b>Nanako's current age minus 1<br/><br/></b></p><p><b>Labrys, Today at 4:39 PM<br/></b> <b>The number of your friends who appeared on the Midnight Channel for the first P1 Grand Prix when it first aired(You not included)<br/><br/></b> <b></b></p><p><b>Labrys, Today at 4:40 PM<br/></b> <b>That number again<br/><br/></b></p><p><b>Labrys, Today at 4:40 PM<br/></b> <b>Sorry for being so cryptic, but this is top secret shiz<br/><br/></b></p><p><b>You, Today at 4:40 PM<br/></b> <b>That's alright</b></p><p> </p><p>It took him a moment to figure out, but if he'd gotten all of Labrys's hints correct, then the number was (0790) 232-0977. He recited the number a few times and slipped his phone back in his pocket. He reeled back in his fishing line, grabbed his oars, and rowed to shore after packing up his fishing supplies and making sure the fishing cooler was properly sealed. It wasn't a huge deal that he packed up early, and plus, he was curious about why Labrys was being so secretive. </p><p>He tied the boat up relatively easily, put away his fishing supplies in Uncle Dojima's shed, and set fishing cooler on the kitchen counter for later gutting and prep, and jogged down to Yasoinaba Station, the only place that came to mind in Inaba when he though of "Pay Phone". He slid a 50 yen coin into the machine and dialed the number Labrys gave him. </p><p>One ring, two rings, three ri-</p><p>"Y'ello?"</p><p>The quality of the call was lower than his cell phone, but he could still tell immediately it was Labrys. </p><p>"Hi Lab. It's me, Yu."</p><p>"Oh hey! You figured auut the numba pretdee quick, eh?"</p><p>He laughed a bit. "Yeah, well, the hints you gave were pretty easy. Anyways, what's going on?"</p><p>"Oh right, you called about that. Well, the thing is, the fucha isn't looking so hot." </p><p>He blinked a few times, silent. "...Why?"</p><p>"Sorry fah being making that sound so cryptic. Anyhow, to put it shortly, rememb Sho's whole "P-1 Climax" bullshit? Multiply that times three Izanamis." </p><p>That was not what he was expecting. He was expecting an, "Mitsuru has a cold" or "Fuuka accidentally lost a top secret file." No "End of the World" stuff. He wiped his now-sweaty palms on the side of his jeans. </p><p>"How long do we have?"</p><p>Labrys's side was now silent. </p><p>"Hello? Labrys, you there?" </p><p>"...Yeah, I'm here. Yu, we have probably less than 7 months." </p><p>That seemed to be a lot of time, but remembering how long the Adachi case took...</p><p>"Any leads on who we're dealing with?"</p><p>"Not certain. We may have aune, but everything's a cluttered mess right now. Fuuka predicts at least three Gods are involved in this, maybe more." </p><p>Three.</p><p>Three gods. </p><p>Before there was just one! And she wasn't even trying to actively destroy them!</p><p> "...Yu, its alright. Its not gonah be just us this time eitha. I searched through Mit-" </p><p>"Please add another coin to continue the call"</p><p>Yu hurriedly fished another 50 yen piece out of his wallet and slid it in. "Sorry, can you repeat that?"</p><p>"Sure. I searched through Mitsuru's stuff the autha day trying to figure auut who in the world could help us auut with this shiz, and I came across Kei Nanjo. Even heard auf him?"</p><p>"No?" </p><p>"Same here. So I look into the guy aun the interwebs, and it turns auut this guy is a Japanese diplomat. That's decent and all, but that's not why he's so decent. I did some furtha digging, and this guy was present during two massive Shadow events. Mikage-Cho in 1996 and Sumaru Cidee in '99. But the records fah those events are almost entirely empdee. So I get a hold auf this guys' numba and talk to him, and guess what?"</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"He's Mitsuru's cousin. And he knows what happened during those events. So we talk some more, and I find auut that not aunly is he a Persona Usa, but he's got auva 10 autha Persona users he knows as well. " </p><p>Yu did some quick calculations in his head. "So that means...There's over 25 Persona users that we can rely on?"</p><p>"Yeah, if I can get them all to agree to help us auut. Some auf these guys haven't used their Personas in almost 20 years though." </p><p>"That at least lessens the load. Well, are we going to meet them or no?" </p><p>If there were that many Persona users from throughout the decades, then maybe they could split the work and investigate faster.</p><p>"I told Mitsuru about it and she agreed to go meet up with Nanjo and his friends today. She should be returning shortly, though Mikage-Cho is pretdee fah from Tatsumi Port Island. Eitha way, you and your friends are invited to stay at the Shangri-La Hotel in Tokyo aun Wednesday. Pack as if you'll be living there fah 7 months." </p><p>"I have a flat I can use in Tokyo. I used to live there back when I was a kid." </p><p>"Yeah, sure, but do you really wanah give up the aupportunidee to stay at a swanky hotel with all your friends?"</p><p>Good point. </p><p>"Okay. I'll tell my friends this." </p><p>"Great. Can't wait to see you!" </p><p>"Same." </p><p>He hung up the call before he had to add another coin. There, alone in the dark station, the only noise coming from the bugs chirping outside, the weight of the situation settled on Yu's chest. </p><p>It wasn't over. Another journey where people could be hurt, another journey where his friends would have to aid him in a seemingly hopeless situation. </p><p>Why? </p><p>Why did this always happen to him? He was just a man who liked fishing. A man who liked to spend time with his friends. A man who preferred the quiet of the country compared to the bustling roar of the city. </p><p>Why did he always have to drag people he loved into things like this?  </p><p>Something within him surged forwards. Sure, this wasn't fair, but now, it was up to him to make sure that people like Nanako were safe. He didn't know these Gods's plans, nor did he know their motivation. But he knew one thing for certain, and it was that he wouldn't allow them to hurt anyone under his watch. He was going to die trying. </p><p>He pulled out his phone and texted the group chat. </p><p> </p><p><b>You, Today at 6:13 PM<br/></b> <b>Guys, Investigation Team meeting tomorrow. I've got news. <br/><br/></b></p><p><b>Kanji, Today at 6:13 PM<br/></b> <b>Sounds good to me.<br/><br/></b></p><p><b>Naoto, Today at 6:13 PM<br/></b> <b>TOMORROW AT JUNES? PLZ RESPOND Y/N<br/><br/></b></p><p><b>You, Today at 6:14 PM<br/></b> <b>Yes.<br/><br/></b></p><p>
  <b>Rise, Today at 6:14 PM<br/>Ill proly b l8 what time<br/><br/></b>
</p><p><b>You, Today at 6:15 PM<br/></b> <b>Around lunch? Does that work?<br/><br/></b></p><p><b>Yukiko, Today at 6:15 PM<br/></b> <b>I have a lunch break from 11:40 to 12:20. <br/><br/></b></p><p><b>Naoto, Today at 6:15 PM<br/></b> <b>THAT WORKS 4 ME YES<br/><br/></b></p><p><b>Rise, Today at 6:16 PM<br/></b> <b>:D Gr8 good 4 me 2<br/><br/></b></p><p><b>You, Today at 6:16 PM<br/></b> <b>Then its settled. 11:40 AM tomorrow at Junes. </b></p><p> </p><p>-0-<br/><br/></p><p>Yu couldn't sleep a wink. Though he tossed and turned, flipped and flopped, stretched and squished, there was no position he could lay in that made him feel sleepy. Several hours had gone past since he texted the group chat, any no one had sent any new messages except for Yosuke, who just sent a Thumbs Up emoji and Chie, who for some odd reason sent a flexing arm emoji, but still, he impulse checked it every other minute. </p><p>Of course, nothing. </p><p>He flopped onto his chest and buried his head into the pillow. </p><p>"Hghhhghnhhhhhh...." </p><p>Three Gods. Maybe even more. Were they like Izanami, where they were lashing out? Or were they actively plotting something intentional? Were they powerful, like Fujin? Or were they minor gods he'd never heard of? </p><p>He knew he shouldn't worry this much, not without sufficient information, but he couldn't help it. </p><p>Three years ago, he almost lost everyone important to him now. He...</p><p>No. Screw it. He couldn't keep thinking this way all night. He needed sleep. Yu got out of bed, walked to the bathroom, and took out some pills to help with insomnia. The bottle was almost full from how infrequently he used the pills. He swallowed with a gulp of tap water and returned to bed, waiting for the pills to kick in. </p><p>And within the hour, at some time, Yu went from recounting his steps back when he solved the Inaba Murders to asleep. <br/><br/></p><p>-0-<br/><br/></p><p>"Welcome to the Velvet Room."</p><p>Four people awoke to that familiar phrase. One expected it. Two remembered the phrase, but were uncertain why they were in the blue room while they dreamt. </p><p>One didn't recognize anything at all. It was all completely new to him, but...deep within him, he knew this place. </p><p>The four sat up, each on a chair facing the long-nosed man, Igor. Behind him was the deaf singer, Belladonna, the blind pianist, Nameless, and three golden-eyed people, all dressed in blue. </p><p>"The four of you will soon embark on a journey that is unlike anything that has ever happened." Igor flickered, like a projection. As he promptly faded in and out of existence, the people standing behind him were temporarily bound in chains with pained faces. But, just like Igor, they flickered back to normal. </p><p>"Unlike before, I cannot guide you. My power is barely strong enough to hold against His power..." Another flicker. </p><p>"But...I have faith in my assistants. Each one of them will act in my stead, guiding you in the outside world." Two flickers, each lasting a bit longer than before. </p><p>"Naoya Toudou, the Emperor. You will be guided by Elizabeth." Igor snapped his fingers, and they all flickered once more. However, as they flickered, the shortest of the golden-eyed people, a woman with a silver bob, was freed from her chains. When they returned to normal, Igor seemed more pale. </p><p>"Tatsuya Suou, the Sun, and Maya Amano, the Moon. You will be guided by Theodore." The same happened, but this time the tallest of the people, a man with slicked back silver hair, was freed. After returning, Igor looked almost colorless. </p><p>"Lastly, Yu Narukami, the Fool. You will once again be guided by Margaret." The last of the assistants was freed. Igor tried to return to normal, but all he could do was flicker. </p><p>"Go! Leave at once! There is only so much time left!" Igor commanded, with the last of his strength. The illusion of the room shattered with his last word, and the four tumbled into the deep, dark depths of unconsciousness. <br/><br/></p><p>-0-<br/><br/></p><p>Naoya jolted awake, sweating. </p><p>Igor! In the whole time during his journey, never had the Velvet Room even come close to being in danger. But now? Igor was panicking. He could tell. The cool facade had faded the moment the flickering became more frequent. </p><p>"Are you alright?" </p><p>Naoya screamed. Someone-a woman by the voice- was standing in his room, in the dark. He grabbed his phone off the nightstand and turned on the flashlight. </p><p>There, standing in the center of the room, looking fatigued and pale, was the short woman from the Velvet Room.</p><p>Elizabeth. </p><p>He dropped his phone and rushed over to the wall to turn on the bedroom light. In the much brighter light, he could seen bruises on her skin left behind from the chains. Dark bags beneath her sunken eyes. </p><p>"Don't worry about me, worry about yourself! Oh god, do you need anything?"</p><p>"No, I am in tip-top square."</p><p>"You mean shape?"</p><p>"Yes. A square is a shape, is it not?" She tilted her head, like a confused puppy.</p><p>Alright, that was it. Naoya gently guided her to the guest room and instructed her to lie down. "I'll grab you some water. Are you hungry at all?"</p><p>"I am incapable of feeling hungry."</p><p>He took that as a no and rushed out to grab her a glass of water. In the morning, she was definitely going to a doctor. </p><p>What is the world had Nanjo gotten into?<br/><br/></p><p>-0-<br/><br/></p><p>
  <em>Hello!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>To those of you who read my original attempt at a Persona games crossover, this fic is kinda a way for my soul to be put at rest. I read Persona 5.4321 the other day and, wow, the amount of nonsense I crammed in that fic was ridiculous. So, this fic is supposed to be a sort of personal redemption. It won't have the same plot, sorry, but it'll be close. I'm sorry for the lack of Innocent Sin, Persona 3, and Persona 5 this chapter, but trust me, they're appearing next chapter. Thank you so, so much for reading through this extra-long chapter.</em>
</p><p><em>Thank you all for your support.</em> </p><p>Msperfectsheep</p><p><br/>Edit: Changed dates to fit the timeline(June -&gt; May)</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Editing</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>While Naoya was worrying over Elizabeth, a woman not too far away was awoken by the same nightmare. In the much louder and busier city of Sumaru, within a small apartment close to  Yumezaki, Maya Amano cried out in her sleep.</p><p>The shock of the dream was just enough to cause Maya to fall off of the bed. On the floor she sat, wrapped in bed sheets, skin slicked with sweat. Her heart was beating so fast it felt like it was going to explode. She didn't remember where she was until she took time to focus. </p><p>Deep breaths. Calm. She needed to slow down. It wasn't real. It was a dream. </p><p>"Miss Amano, are you alright?"</p><p>"I-I...Yep. I'm good." She didn't know the voice, but by its tone and personality, she could assume it was someone she could trust. "I'm gonna make a wild guess and say you're Theodore, right?" </p><p>It was the only man who'd reasonably be in her room, unless her new roommate's fling lost his way to her bedroom. </p><p>The polite voice floated through the darkness. "I am. Would you like for me to fetch you anything?"</p><p>Maya pulled herself off of the floor and unwrapped herself from the sheets, hands shaking, body still covered in a sweaty sheen. Deep breaths. She just needed to be calm. Theodore was obviously a friend of Igor's, so therefore he was a friend of hers. And that meant she was going to be a good hostess. </p><p>"Stay right there. I'll set up a bed on the pullout couch from you." </p><p>She navigated her bedroom floor, dodging the various boxes and bins of files, newspapers, dirty clothes, and old plates that used to hold food. People used to yell at her for her room's dirtiness, but nowadays her roommate didn't care and she rarely invited people over.</p><p>Her shoulder brushed against someone, and even though she knew it had to be Theodore that she bumped, she still flinched instinctively. "Sorry!"</p><p>"It's alright, Miss Amano! Please, do not worry about my needs." How sweet. He was...different from Nameless and Belladonna and the Demon Painter in a way she couldn't really pinpoint. The youth? The energy? She didn't know.</p><p>She shook it off and got to the door. Swiftly, she flicked on the light switch on the wall beside the door, and the room suddenly lit up. In the middle of the room, dressed in the iconic blue of the Velvet Room, was the golden-eyed...man? Boy? He was older than a teen, but younger than a man, like that weird transitioning period that some go through in college. </p><p>But that wasn't what her eyes were drawn to. No, it was the dark bruises that wrapped around his visible skin like a snake. It must've been from the chains that she saw in the Velvet Room, but...why was he chained at all?</p><p>He apparently didn't seemed bothered by it, instead insisting on her own health and well being first. Right, if something traumatic happened, she'd let him decide when to talk about it. She walked out of the room, went straight to the closet, and pulled out old linens she'd saved over the years. The mismatched patterns and textures were certainly odd, but it would at least add something between the couch and Theodore. </p><p>"Hey Theodore, there's some old t-shirts and sweatpants in my closet. Help yourself." She called, pulling out an old pillow and fluffing it up. There was an odd brown stain on the pillow that was the color of some sort of coffee, but it'd been there so long that it no longer mattered. Plus, a pillowcase would cover it up. She grabbed a soft blanket, the sheets, and the pillow and bumped the closet door shut with her hip. </p><p>Making her way to the couch, she began to pull it apart to assemble the bed. Despite not looking directly in the kitchen, the lime-green 4:06 AM glared at her from the darkness, as if scolding her for being up so late. </p><p>Her movements became mechanical soon as she got into the rhythm of pulling and tucking sheets, smoothing out blankets, and striving for an even look even though the bed was about to be messed up in minutes. She didn't notice as she partially stubbed her toe against the metal legs suspending the bottom half of the bed. She was too busy remembering the Velvet Room. She strained to remember details that may be important-the deep circles under Igor's eyes, his shaky voice, Nameless and Belladonna being unable to play the song the had been playing since the beginning.</p><p>It'd been...</p><p>Honestly? It'd been one of the more unnerving and creepy things she'd been through. The whole feeling it gav-</p><p>"Ms. Amano?" </p><p>She jumped from the shock, squeaking with surprise. Behind her, dressed in a worn light green shirt that said, "I'm a TAX EVASION" and gray sweat pants that hugged his legs, Theodore stood, holding his velvet room outfit in his arms. Even out of his suit, he gave off a prim and proper air. </p><p>"AH! Theodore, you scared me!" </p><p>He shook a little bit from her shriek, but maintained a composed face. "Apologies. I was just about to inquire as to where I should keep my uniform."</p><p>Maya began to laugh. "I'll take it. You should get some rest." She meant it. Theodore's pale face looked as white as paper in the dim light, and she didn't want to face what he truly looked like until she collected her thoughts. It was awful, what was going on in the Velvet Room. </p><p>Theodore handed her his blue uniform, and weirdly, it felt like he was handing her nothing. She wished him a good night and went to hang up the clothes just to air them out. But as she unfolded them, she saw the lining of the jacket and pants was...</p><p>Not fabric. It was so black that light escaped it. No pattern, not texture, but black. She reached to touch it, and as her fingertips brushed against the voice of colors, she felt them grow infinitely colder, like the black was dry ice. She yelped and withdrew her hand. </p><p>Note to self: Handle Theodore's outfit with care.</p><p>She hung up the clothes carefully, closed the door to the balcony, and went to her bed for a restless night of attempted sleep. </p><p>-0-</p><p>"How's it going?" </p><p>A limber man with a light mustache and goatee peered through the utter black of the room and a blindingly-bright screen. He'd been asking the same type of question for the past 6 hours, and while Fuuka did appreciate the attention, it was a bit distracting to have Junpei constantly interrupt her train of thought. </p><p>She inserted another line of code and fought against firewall after firewall, trying to take down any sort of barrier that the Nanjo Group put up. "It's doing well, Junpei."</p><p>"Have you found out anything? Like, what SEBEC did back in the day?"</p><p>She stretched her neck, still typing rapidly and keeping her eyes glued to the screen. She was slowly worming her way in, she could tell. But even with years of cracking into high security files, this was difficult. Every time she broke down one wall, a new one seemed to pop up almost instantly. Someone in the Nanjo Group knew she was trying to access information, and they were sure to stop her. </p><p>Junpei seemed to interpret her lack of an answer as a "No." "Well, that sucks. How the hell did Labrys access any info about this then?"</p><p>"No clue. Ask her." Fuuka's generic response. She loved Junpei like a brother, but when she was focused, no one could break her concentration without getting at least a little whiplash. </p><p>He picked up her hint and walked away. Unfortunately, he kept talking. "You know she's gone to Inaba to talk to Yu and his pals. Maybe I should bother Yuka-tan about it." </p><p>Fuuka groaned as all her work was undone by another firewall. This was going to be a long night by the looks of it, and in the end, she knew that the victor would be whoever succumbed to sleep first. </p><p>Luckily for her, Aigis could take over when she needed it. She doubted the coder at the other end of the screen had a robot who was willing to step in. She took a sip of coffee and frowned at how cold it had become. </p><p>Whatever. She wasn't being paid to critique coffee, she was being paid to hack into the Nanjo group for Mitsuru. Until a few days ago, Fuuka had heard of Kei Nanjo, but she hand't known of his connection to Mitsuru. And then, suddenly, out of the blue as Mitsuru's stressing about Tokyo, Labrys comes forth with information-vague, yes, but still information-that Nanjo had links to Persona-related incidences in the past. </p><p>It was scary how well protected this information was. What happened in Mikage-Cho in 1996 and Sumaru City in 1999? She was just a little girl when these incidences happened, and any people who lived in the area at the time had no memory of any incident of value happening. It was like everything had been erased, either magically or, as she suspected, financially. She was aware the Kirijo Group was not hesitant to use bribery, and the Nanjo group could very well be the same.</p><p>But that wasn't the worst of it. What made her feel the worst was the fact that if Nanjo was willing to meet with Mitsuru as she'd heard, then how come he was hiding so much from them? He and Mitsuru were cousins, after all! Didn't that mean anything?</p><p>Apparently not. Fuuka irritably continued with her coding, blue irises focuses on the screen as the world around her faded.</p><p> Time around her became warped, minutes shrinking until they felt like mere blinks. There was no stopping her. </p><p>"Fuuka, stop." </p><p>She did as she was told, maybe instinctively. "Akihi-"</p><p>"Aigis will take over for you. You need your rest. Have you seen the time?"</p><p>She glanced at the small clock in the corner of the computer screen and winced. 7:57 AM. She'd gone through the entire night. Her friend's strong hand rested gently on her shoulder, like a guiding force of nature she couldn't resist. She stifled a yawn. </p><p>"Let me go for at least another hour. The coder on the other end has got to be close to breaking."</p><p>He frowned, and she knew his answer before he said it. "No. We need you in tip-top shape to help decode the files once we have access to them. That means resting, alright?" </p><p>Aigis walked in, perfectly on cue. "I am ready to begin hacking, Miss Fuuka." Her eyes shone with the bright light she had every morning. </p><p>Fuuka smiled and groaned at the same time. "Fine. I'll go to bed, party poopers." </p><p>She got out of her chair, stretched so much that every bone her body must've popped, and collapsed in her room without a second thought. </p><p>-0-</p><p>"She looked exhausted." Aigis commented as she sat herself down in Fuuka's chair. Akihiko pulled out the necessary cords and started connecting Aigis to the computer, readying her for hacking. </p><p>The boxer knelt as he shoved a cord into its terminal. "Yeah, well, it's as if she's fighting against someone with skills on par with her own. It's like a second Kirijo group."</p><p>"That sounds quite difficult an-" Another cord was plugged in, delaying her voice box. "-d exhausting."</p><p>"I dunno. I know jack about coding and computers, other than how to set a wallpaper. Now, are you all plugged in or did I miss something?" </p><p>Aigis closed her eyes, and did a quick system check. "I am currently completely operational. There are no issues."</p><p>"I assume you can just connect, then?" </p><p>"Correct. However, my body will not be responsive to outside stimuli until I disconnect from the computer. That is why I will need you to stay beside it in case anything were to happen." </p><p>Akihiko nodded and pulled up a second chair. "What do I do with you in case of emergencies?" </p><p>"Shut my systems off and then unplug me." Aigis closed her eyes and relaxed her body. "I will be back within the next two to three hours."</p><p>The silver-haired man gave a thumbs up. "Make me proud in there, Aigis!"</p><p>She nodded and sent herself into the computer as easily as someone takes a breath. She felt herself leaving her mechanical body and becoming...incorporeal. It was a feeling she was sure her comrades would never be able to experience, becoming digitized. </p><p>She was going to win for her team, so they could keep moving forward. Fight for <em>him</em>. </p><p>Let the coding war begin. </p><p>-0-</p><p> "Senpai!" </p><p>The day was nice and warm, the sun's buttery yellow rays shining down on the Junes food court in a way that left the area illuminated but not unbearably hot. Still, not to risk a sunburn, Yu was sitting at a table with an umbrella, sipping a melon ramune and chatting with Yosuke and the others. </p><p>The conversation had been animated but low-calorie, every story being of something that was of little impact. They'd agreed to save the meat of the conversation for until everyone arrived. Kanji talked about his sewing lessons with Nanako(she was already making dresses for herself!), Yukiko ranted about unpleasant customers, and Naoto discussed the pros and cons of going to law school. </p><p>Rise's arrival meant everyone was gathered, except for Labrys, who was with the Shadow Operatives, and Chie who was interning in Tokyo as a police officer. Even Marie was there, although she had what appeared to be a cold. She kept sniffling and coughing, face flushing with embarrassment nearly every time. </p><p>Rise took the empty seat and sat down, smiling. "Alrighty! Yu-senpai, spill. What's the scoop?" </p><p>Like usual, Rise was going straight for it. Everyone looked at him with bright, smiling faces, like he was going to announce that he got engaged. </p><p>The truth was going to hurt like a bitch.</p><p>"...Right. Um, first off, its great to see all of you. Really. You cannot possibly comprehend how much I missed you all. Oh and uh, Rise, we're adults, you don't need to call me Senpai anymore." </p><p>He got a few "awws" and "thanks". Rise nodded. </p><p>"But uh, I didn't exactly call you here for no reason. I...Labrys called me last night with some...how do I put this...ah..."</p><p>Yukiko put her hand on Yu's shoulder. "Take your time. There's no rush."</p><p>He didn't know why he was struggling to find the words. He knew what he had to say, but his mouth wasn't cooperating. "Okay. Um, okay, so, we have 7 months maximum to take down possibly three Izanami-level gods in Tokyo." He spit it all out. </p><p>Everyone's silence made the feeling in his gut only worse. He was such an idiot, saying "we". They were adults now, and had their own lives. He couldn't just rip them out of that and force them into a life-threatening situation. </p><p>"...That's not what I was expecting." Kanji chuckled. </p><p>Teddie joined in on the laughter. "That's terrible, but at least now my news doesn't look bad at all!"</p><p>That caught his attention. Teddie also had bad news? "What?"</p><p>"Oh, I was gonna say that the T.V. World has gotten a lot less foggy recently. Oh, and I think I've seen a girl walking around, but I can never catch up to her!" Teddie pouted. </p><p> "Interesting." Naoto flipped open a notebook and began to write. "Teddie, when did you notice this?"</p><p>The blonde scratched his chin. "A few months ago? The girl only started appearing four days ago though." </p><p>"And Yu, do you know how long Labrys has had this information?" Naoto fixed her sharp gaze on him. </p><p>"No. She only mentioned that the Shadow Operatives are calling in heavy backup already. They're trying to reach Persona-users from 20 years ago."</p><p>Yosuke stood up. "Holy shit, 20 years ago?" </p><p>"Apparently."</p><p>"What happened 20 years ago that required the use of Personas?" Yukiko wondered aloud. </p><p>Yu tried to recall Labrys's words to the best of his ability. "Labrys didn't say too much, but she did mention Mikage-Cho in 1996 and Sumaru City in 1999."</p><p>"I have family in Mikage." Rise commented absent-mindedly. Meanwhile, Naoto was anything but absent-minded. She was writing more than she had on their final exams, making tons of tiny little notes all over the paper in neat, slanted handwriting. </p><p>Finally, she stopped. "Mikage-Cho had an incident in the fall of 1996. a company, SEBEC, also known as Saeki Electronics and Biological Energy Corporation, was being run by a man of the name Takahisa Kandori. Shortly after the Halloween in 1996, Takahisa Kandori resigned and SEBEC promptly shut down."</p><p>"Woah, hold up!" Yosuke commanded. "What does this have to do with Personas, and why do you know this stuff off of the top of your head?"</p><p>"Because I like to read about scandals. May I finish, <em>Hanamura</em>?"</p><p>Yosuke backed down as Naoto continued. "It is speculated that he was tied to several child kidnappings from months before, for as soon as he stepped down, all the missing children reappeared. However, this information is scarce and possibly inaccurate. It seems that either through money or power, someone erased everything about the scandal that they could."</p><p>Yu connected the dots. "Maybe Kandori was holding the children somewhere like the T.V. world, and after he was defeated, the Persona users let them out?"</p><p>"That's what I'm thinking, yes." Naoto affirmed. A quiet "oooh" of appreciation came from the table. "However, I have never heard of anything happening to Sumaru City in 1999."</p><p>Yukiko fanned her face. "Perhaps the Shadow Operatives will know. Yu, would you mind elaborating on the "Three gods in seven months" issue?'</p><p>Right back to him. The uneasy feeling returned instantly, and with a vengeance. "Yes. Uh, Labrys said that Mitsuru will be paying for full room and board in Tokyo so long as you agree to this mission. Labrys couldn't say much, but its very clear that this is something unlike anything we've ever seen. If its just one god, they're powerful enough to beat Izanami three-fold."</p><p>A silent "OH SHIT" passed across the table. </p><p>"...At least we're not new to Personas this time around?" Kanji tried. "Oh, and uh, we're all friends now, so we won't have to worry about being weak in the beginning!"</p><p>Yukiko studied her fan. It was unlike her metal fans she used in battle, instead painted with delicate blue flowers. "Still, we have not practiced in a while. It would be unwise to charge right into the fray."</p><p>"Do we have time to train though? Yu said we have seven months to defeat three gods. I don't think we can afford spending any of that time warming up our hamstrings and shit." Yosuke pointed out. </p><p>Marie sneezed loudly right as Naoto's mouth opened. "Ugh, sorry." The weather reporter mumbled, clearly congested. </p><p>"It's alright. I believe a week of training is needed to get back to sufficient levels. We will be nowhere near our prime, but it'll be enough to give us a head start. Once we're there, progression to our past achievements physically and magically will be much easier."</p><p>Yu mulled over her words. Mitsuru set the deadline for their arrival to be much sooner than a week from now(tomorrow was Wednesday), but she wouldn't mind, would she? </p><p>Then again, maybe training in Tokyo would be optimal, for then his friends could understand the layout as well as he did. </p><p>"I can open up the T.V. world too, for privacy! Shadows still lurk there, so you can fight the weaker ones to train." Teddie agreed. </p><p>"...Rise, you've been awfully quiet. Something on your mind?" Yukiko asked. The pigtailed girl snapped out of a daze and stared at her friend. </p><p>"Huh?"</p><p>"She was asking if you were okay. Seemed out of it and stuff." Kanji filled in. The redhead shook it off with an easy smile. </p><p>Yu didn't see any falsity in her eyes. Good. "No, no, I was just thinking how I can handle being AWOL from the industry for seven months. Y'know, since last time I quit temporarily."</p><p> "Just quit again." Yosuke suggested easily. </p><p>Yu frowned. "No, that's not the best choice. Rise, maybe you should tell them that the stress is getting to you and you need a hiatus to refresh your artistic talent?"</p><p>"Maybe...I dunno, that may take a really big hit to my career though..."</p><p>A few more suggestions were thrown out, but none of them Rise seemed particularly interested in. Yu drummed his fingers on the table side, just processing it all. Everyone seemed to be in, but that wasn't the main issue. It was figuring out everything else to accommodate for agreeing to go.  </p><p>In the end, they all just agreed that they'd figure it out on their own. There was still time until Mitsuru's gathering. </p><p>But was it enough?</p><p>-0-</p><p>Turned out, no, it was not. The Wednesday morning was fine, with Yu waking up to Nanako's excellent crepes(they really were delicious) and watching Marie on the news channel explain how she was going to be taking a break for reporting for a while for familial reasons. </p><p>That made sense. Being well, Izanami, meant that the other Gods were related to her, right? Still, she looked awful, sneezing and coughing randomly on screen. </p><p>"Is Marie okay?" Nanako sat next to Yu and watched the screen, too focused on Marie to care about food. </p><p>He popped a grape in his mouth and swallowed. "She's fine, just a little under the weather." He winced internally at the unintentional pun. </p><p>"Then maybe I can make her some cookies to make her feel better! You and your friends are leaving today, right?" Nanako was 11 years old and ready to help at a moment's notice, in contrast to 11 year old Yu who, according to his memories, did nothing but annoy his parents and complain about them leaving.</p><p>"That sounds like a great idea. Labrys said we're leaving at noon on the button, so you better get crackin'!" he said in encouragingly, words laced with enthusiasm. Nanako nodded and crammed her crepe into her mouth, looking like a squirrel with puffy cheeks as she scurried off to make cookies.<br/><br/>That left Yu to his own devices. He finished his crepe slowly, chatting with his friends in between texts. </p><p>It seemed all of them had haphazardly thrown together an excuse for as to why they were leaving except for Rise. Even Naoto had a cover, which was to meet Tokyo's newest and rising Second Detective Prince. </p><p>
  <b>Rise, Today at 10:17 AM<br/>im thinking abt just runnin away tbh</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Rise, Today at 10:17 AM<br/>stars do that stuff all the time</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Rise, Today at 10:18 AM<br/>mayb i shld die my hair</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Rise, Today at 10:18 AM<br/>dye*</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Rise, Today at 10:18 AM<br/>thoughts?</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Yosuke, Today at 10:18 AM<br/>Dude, chill. I'm sure ur manager guy understands</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Rise, Today at 10:19 AM<br/>o yea totes "manager, can i leave 4 7 months?'</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Yosuke, Today at 10:19 AM<br/>Dont be rude</b>
</p><p>The two of them just bickered back and forth over text, so Yu temporarily muted the chat and moved on. Nanako was busy with the cookies and Dojima was at work. He'd expressed regret for not being able to say goodbye at the train station, but with modern day face timing and stuff, it wouldn't be such a huge deal. </p><p>It felt weird, saying he was leaving for Tokyo. Usually it was returning, but now that he was an adult, it really was a visit. </p><p>But...was Tokyo ever his home? Did he ever really refer to it as his home, or just where he had to live? Here in Inaba, he was comfortable. At peace. </p><p>"Big Bro, do you think I can come visit you in Tokyo?"</p><p>He mulled it over. It'd be dangerous with all those gods hanging around..."Maybe. How about I let you know when I get there?" So he could gauge how bad it was. If she visited early, the threat level would be lower.</p><p>"That sounds great! Also, can you taste this and make sure its good?" She carried over a mixing bowl filled with batter. </p><p>He looked inside of the mixing bowl and scooped a small dollop of brown batter off the top with his finger. The texture looked good, from what he knew about baking. He popped his finger in his mouth and let the batter melt on his tongue. </p><p>"Nanako."</p><p>Her eyes widened fearfully ever so slightly. "Yes?"</p><p>"This is the best cookie batter I've ever had. I could eat the whole bowl right now." </p><p>Her face split into a blinding grin. "Well, you can't. You've gotta wait for them to bake, or else you can get sick." </p><p>He chuckled. "I know, I know. But just imagine how yummy they'll be after its done."</p><p>"Mhm!" She nodded. "Alrighty! I'll roll them into balls now." </p><p>"Do you need me to help with the oven?" He finished his breakfast by eating the lonely purple grape that had been sitting all alone on the plate. </p><p>"No thank you. You have to get ready first." She reminded him, taking his plate with her open hand. "So don't worry about me."</p><p>So cute! He wouldn't get in her way willingly, but either way she was right. He had his own things that needed to be taken care of. </p><p>Yu stood and stretched his arms, groaning slightly at how tense his muscles were. He needed more training before he was anywhere near ready for the fight to come. </p><p>He walked upstairs and cleared out almost his entire closet, shoving it into his biggest suitcase. He didn't take things he didn't absolutely need, like a Halloween costume from two years ago, but articles of clothing like shirts, pants, and underwear were necessary. </p><p>Then went some basic toiletries, charging cords for his phone, his wallet, and his weaponry. He glanced at the clock sitting on the bedside table. </p><p>Shit, it was almost time to go. Yu whipped out his phone and checked the group chat, which seemed to have cooled down now that Teddie was spamming cat photos. </p><p>
  <b>You, Today at 11:38 AM<br/>Alright, packed and ready to go. Are you ready on your ends?</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Yukiko, Today at 11:38 AM<br/>I am. My family has agreed to fill my position with one of the senior workers for the time being. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>Kanji, Today at 11:39 AM<br/>Same here. I'm waiting outside my place for my ride.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Yosuke, Today at 11:39 AM<br/>Bro</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Yosuke, Today at 11:40 AM<br/>You have over 20 mins until they come</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Kanji, Today at 11:40 AM<br/>I like being early, all right? Its something I do.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>You, Today at 11:40 AM<br/>It's fine. See you guys in a few</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Yukiko, Today at 11:41 AM<br/>Sounds good. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>Teddie, Today at 11:42 AM <br/>SENSEI</b>
</p><p><b>Teddie, Today at 11:42 AM<br/></b> <b> <span class="u">Teddie has uploaded the file: BEARY_HAPPY.png</span> </b></p><p>
  <b>Teddie, Today at 11:42 AM <br/>ILL B WAITING 4 U</b>
</p><p>"Big Bro, someone's waiting for you at the door!" </p><p>
  <b>You, Today at 11:43 AM <br/>I'm looking forward to it. TTYL. </b>
</p><p>Yu slipped his phone in his back pocket, grabbed his suitcase, and stopped in front of the bedroom door. This was his last chance to stay home with Nanako, to avoid fighting beings more powerful than he could imagine. </p><p>But Japan needed his help. With the power of the Wild Card, he was invaluable to his team, and it wasn't like he was going to abandon them. </p><p>So, with a deep breath, he opened the door and walked onwards to his uncertain future. </p><p>-0-</p><p>"Greetings, Mr. Narukami." The woman waiting at the door had a familiar face, but Yu couldn't attach a name to it. Her purple hair reminded him of the skin of a ripe plum, and her wine red eyes held a air of dignity and professionalism. </p><p>He bowed to her. "Hello. Are you the person sent by the Shadow Operatives?" </p><p>She nodded with a smile on her face. "I am Kikuno Saikawa, Ms. Mitsuru's personal assistant. She asked me to retrieve you and your associates and escort you to Tokyo."</p><p>"Thank you." He turned back to Nanako, who was looking at Ms. Saikawa from behind his back. "Nanako, you'll be alright without me, right?"</p><p>"Don't worry about me Big Bro, I can handle it! Oh, here's the cookies! They might be a bit soft and hot, but I wasn't able to let them cool properly..." She handed him a plastic bag of cookies marked with big, black letters that said, "GOOD LUCK ON YOUR NEW JOB &lt;3"</p><p>He hugged her. "I'll be back, I promise." </p><p>Nanako wrapped her arms around him and buried her head in the crook of his neck. It was hard to think of her as his cousin, after living with her for so long and growing so close. "I'll be waiting."</p><p>They released from the hug and smiled at each other. Just seven months, and he'd be back to his normal, ideal life in Inaba. </p><p>Easy peasy. </p><p>He stood up, grabbed his suitcase, and followed Ms. Saikawa to the limousine waiting in front. She took his bag from him after just a bit of mild insisting, and opened the back door for him. It felt very...over the top and classy. </p><p>Inside of the limousine was even stranger. Beyond the Velvet Room, Yu had never really been in a real limousine, so just the idea was weird. He sat down on one of the seats, buckled his seatbelt, and waited for the car to move. Nanako was outside the house, watching the car, but the windows were tinted too dark for her to see inside. </p><p>Just seven months. </p><p>The car sped away before he could even yell goodbye. </p><p>-0-</p><p>Compared to Tokyo, Inaba was child's play when it came to the police. Chie Satonaka wasn't ever under the impression that interning in the big city was going to be easy, but just from the snippets of things she heard as she walked around the office, she could tell that Tokyo was just bigger in every sense of the word. </p><p>She wasn't sure if she liked it yet. Sure, the city was never going to run out of fun and exciting things to do, and it was a different scene from the small town she grew up in, but it was almost too different. The traffic, air-quality, and even people were just worse. Greet someone with a bright smile, and they stare at you like you have four heads. </p><p>But, the action and excitement made up for it. Murders, break-ins, ugly lawsuits, and more, all right in front of her. </p><p>She adored it. </p><p>"SATONAKA!"</p><p>Chie stood up from her desk instantly, back as straight as a pole. Her current boss, Mr. Egami, wasn't the most pleasant person to be around, but he liked it when she acted with poise and dignity. A strong back and gaze looked good in his eyes, and she'd do anything within reason to get on his good side. </p><p>She wanted a better job. </p><p>"Yes, sir?"</p><p>He dropped a stack of papers half a meter thick on her desk. "I want you to go over to the scanner and feed in the pages one by one. The machine's acting up again, and I don't wanna risk another jam."</p><p>She almost wanted to cry hearing that. Scanning papers one by one, especially that big of a stack, would take ages to complete, plus it would be incredibly boring. Watching baking shows would be a better way to spend her time. </p><p>"Yes, Mr. Egami. Right away."</p><p>He walked off to another desk without even saying thank you. </p><p>Chie's shoulders slumped, and she spent a moment just focusing on the stack before her. </p><p>She just had to tough it out for a little bit longer. That promotion was coming soon, she knew it. And if suffering through an hour of feeding papers one by one into a machine meant she could finally get to exciting stuff, it'd be worth it. </p><p>She just wished the task wasn't so boring. </p><p>-0-</p><p>By the time she checked out of the office, Chie's back was aching, the sun was setting, and her stomach was growling. She spent too much time at the office scanning the papers, and now she felt miserable. No way in hell she was cooking tonight, it was time for take out. </p><p>She took out her phone, ignored the growing amount of notifications coming from her messages app, and opened her search bar. </p><p>"Where is the nearest restaurant to me?"</p><p>The results popped up, and she scrolled through them. Most were within a few blocks, but the options weren't incredibly appetizing. Vegan food? Hell no. Fancy, expensive french cuisine? Way out of her budget. </p><p>It took her only a moment to narrow down the locations. A sushi place 4 blocks away, or a cafe 3 blocks away. </p><p>Her aching feet gave the answer she wanted. </p><p>Yongen-Jaya's <em>Leblanc</em>, then. </p><p>Getting there was not an issue. Chie was somewhat familiar with the layout of Yongen-Jaya, and Google always told her whenever she made a wrong turn. The cafe looked cute from the outside, with warm colors coming from the stained glass windows and a handmade sign out front that said, "Open".</p><p>She opened the door and was greeted by an noseful of powerful and delicious smelling spices that only Kanji could identify. Her stomach was hooked on whatever was making that scent, and she was at its mercy. </p><p>"Hello, welcome to LeBlanc." </p><p>There was only one person behind the counter, and looking at how small the place was, he was most likely the owner. She sat herself down at the counter and grabbed a menu. "Hello!"</p><p>The man looked up from his newspaper for a moment and took in her appearance, probably to determine how good of a customer she'd be or if she'd give him any trouble. Chie flashed him a smile. "How are you?" </p><p>"Good." The corners of his mouth turned upwards, but it was nowhere close to a full smile. Chie waited from him to reply, "And you?" or something similar, but he didn't. The man just went back to his newspaper. </p><p>Not exactly the warm welcome she was craving, but maybe he'd be more chatty after she ordered. She scanned the menu, pleasantly surprised with the amount of dinner options that were listed. And everything listed sounded delicious, perhaps because she was hungry enough to eat anything at this point. </p><p>But one menu item seemed to call out to her, and after checking the price, Chie was ready to order. "Sir? Could I-"</p><p>There was a crash from the room above and a collection of screams. Two males, one female, all juvenile. Chie stopped mid-sentence and stood. </p><p>"-Is everything alright?" </p><p>The man rolled his eyes and jammed his thumb up at the roof. "I took in a delinquent kid from out of town and some of his friends are staying over. Probably up to usual teenage hijinks."</p><p>While his words seemed to ooze disinterest, the way he ever so slightly changed his expression was a tip that he didn't exactly agree with what was coming out of his mouth. </p><p>"Oh, okay. Can I please have a plate of the lamb curry, but with a cup of plain, cheap coffee on the side? Extra milk and one sugar, if you don't mind."</p><p>"Of course." He climbed off the stool and walked off to the kitchen to make her order. </p><p>Chie sat in place for a moment, just to be safe, but once the coast was clear, she slid off her stool and headed towards the staircase set against the wall. She was off-duty, but that didn't mean she couldn't be curious. Plus, the word "delinquent" set off alarm bells. </p><p>A black cat slinked down the stairs just as she began to climb. It looked well groomed and fed, with intelligent blue eyes and a saffron yellow collar. Chie crouched down and clicked her tongue. "Here, kitty kitty." </p><p>The cat cautiously approached her, sniffed, and began to meow. Chie smiled and started to rub its head. "Hi buddy. What's your name?"</p><p>"His name is Mona." A blonde girl with two enormous pigtails that would make high school Rise jealous walked down the stairs, arms outstretched for the cat. "Sorry about that, he's just curious." </p><p>Mona meowed at her and retreated onto Chie's legs. The blonde girl frowned at the meow. "No, Mona. Come on, let's go upstairs." </p><p>"It's alright, I don't mind." Chie stroked his back. "I never had any cats back home, but I love whenever one decides to say hello."</p><p>The girl eventually gave in and sat down on the stairs. " Oh, okay. If he becomes a bother, just let me know and I'll take him away. My name's Ann, by the way."</p><p>"I'm Chie, nice to meet you." She let her hands mechanically move back and forth to stroke Mona. The warmth and weight of a cat laying on her legs was comforting, like one of those weighted blankets Kanji had back in Inaba. </p><p>Ann kept her eyes focused on Chie. "So, what brings you here today?" </p><p>"I was just looking for a good place to eat, and this one was the closest. So far? Not too shabby."</p><p>She seemed to relax at Chie's statement. "Oh, that's nice. The food here is yummy, for sure."</p><p>A beat passed where neither of them spoke, just staring at each other instead. Chie pushed the girl a little by saying, "I heard a crash earlier. Are you alright?"</p><p>"Oh that? That was Ryuji being a dumbass, and Akira-" She stopped herself, switching to a very suspicious, not at all convincing laugh. "I, uh, knocked it over?" </p><p>"What is "it"?"</p><p>She began to stammer out a mix of words that Chie just couldn't decipher. She waited patiently for Ann to finish, because if she interrupted the girl she'd only become more flustered. Training taught her that. "Can you slow down and repeat that for me?"</p><p>"...I knocked over a shelf." </p><p>Ann didn't look strong. Her body was sleek, sure, but Chie could see no muscles at all, unlike her own body. So how the hell did she expect Chie to believe she casually knocked a shelf over, especially one that sounded as heavy as the one that fell? </p><p>But she played along. "That sounds bad! Want me to go up there and check it out?"</p><p>"Uh, you do-"</p><p>"-Great!" Chie stood up and let Mona off of her lap. "Show me the way."</p><p>It was just a walk up the stairs, so Chie followed Ann as they ascended. Mona rubbed his head against her leg, purring, and Chie smiled. What a friendly cat. </p><p>As she entered the room upstairs, two boys scrambled away from the railing and tried to appear as if they hadn't been spying at all. Classic. </p><p>Ann gestured to the room awkwardly, unsure of what to do with her arms or face. "...So uh, yeah, this is my friend's room."</p><p>"Looks pretty neat. Which one of the shelves fell?" Chie looked over at the teen, who had suddenly gone stiff. </p><p>She chuckled lightly to fill the time. "Oh, it looks like my friends got it already. Thanks for worrying though." Her voice moved up and down almost cartoonishly, like a slide on one of those whistles kids played in preschool. </p><p>If she was younger, Chie would've believed her. But training changed how she viewed people, their actions, and their words. Then again, these were just dumb teenagers. If they did illegal shit, she'd catch them later. For now, no one was bleeding or doing crack. </p><p>"Sounds good. I'll be downstairs for a while, if you want to talk I'm free." Chie waved to the three of them. "Seeya!"</p><p>And as she trotted down the stairs to eat her curry, Chie could almost feel a deeper type of bond form with the strange blonde teen. </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hello! Its been a while since I updated, huh? Well, todays the day that all the mainline casts are finally introduced! Now, let's approach some questions that may be forming before I get them in comments:</p><p>-Why aren't all the Phantom Thieves present?<br/>This takes place right before Yusuke's arc! We'll be able to see the team members join one by one and possibly even alter the events of P5!</p><p>-Is this the world of P5 or P5R?<br/>This is just vanilla P5! Mostly so readers don't have to worry about spoilers, but also because of my own opinions on Kasumi's arc. Plus, Maruki's arc would not fit in with what I have planned. Sorry, Juice Box Dad and Gymnast Girl stans, find them elsewhere.</p><p>-Why was Chie unable to understand Morgana?<br/>The T.V. world is not the same thing as the Metaverse. Simple as that. </p><p>If you have more questions, feel free to add them to your reviews. Honestly, any and all reviews make me glow with happiness, so don't be shy to leave one, even if its just a sentence. And if you want to possibly be a beta reader or just chat, I can always be reached via email on gmail at those2peeps or via Discord as Fluff#0929. Please remember this is chat only, and I am not interested in joining other persona themed servers or the like. </p><p>Thank you for reading this chapter, and I hope you enjoyed!</p><p>Msperfectsheep</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Publication</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"What the actual 'eff happened?" </p><p>The newly formed Phantom Thieves sat in a circle on the floor of Akira's bedroom, gobsmacked at the series of events that went down less than half an hour before. The wait to hold this discussion was a brutal one, with Ann bribing Mona to check on "Chie" until she left Le Blanc periodically and the boys pacing frantically around the room like expecting fathers.</p><p>The relief that washed over the hodge-podged group of teens when "Chie" left was similar to the feeling of when one confidently finishes an important exam. Instantly, the three(four, counting Morgana) of them crowded around and began to converse with hurried whispers. </p><p>Ann's heart felt like it was beating out of her chest. "I don't know. Do you think she heard us?"</p><p>"Do I look like I'd know? No! Of course not! Shit, this is bad!" Ryuji ran his fingers through his hair."Dammit, what if she's here to investigate us?!"</p><p>Morgana licked his paw, just as a cat would do it. Ann was sure that he was a cat, just a very weird one. "I mean, Ryuji's not the most subtle of people. He probably led her to us."</p><p>He was right, regrettably. Ann was willing to defend Ryuji to an extent against Morgana's scathing comments, but this one he had to fight against himself. "Chie" seemed nice enough at first, but something about her was so deeply, inherently,</p><p><em>Wrong.</em> </p><p>"It's alright, we're done! As far as we know, no one even knows what happened to Kamoshida. There's no proof." Ann tried to believe the words coming out of her mouth, but everything fell flat internally. Every syllable felt like it was laden with the weight of a lie. </p><p>The three of them all looked at Akira, who was sitting with his eyes closed, silent at a mirage. When he did speak, his speech was even, precise, and delicate. He didn't feel like a teenager to Ann. He felt more like a leader. </p><p>"We won't do anything suspicious for the next week, or however long it takes. Just act normally. If "Chie" stops by again, I'll try to get any information out of her that I can. Until we're sure of her motive, we will not be meeting here." </p><p>"Then where will we meet?" Ryuji beat her to the question. "We can't go to my place, my ma would tell everyone in Tokyo about you two." </p><p>Akira once again became silent. Ann wracked her brain for a place that would be open late where they could hang out, because the school roof was just not as secure or reasonable as initially thought. Nothing came to mind. </p><p>"...How about that one teahouse on the way to school? Ueshima Coffee Yongenjaya? We could meet there daily, buy a drink or two, and chat in privacy." </p><p>Morgana purred. "As long as I'm fed, I'm happy."</p><p>"We know that, ya stupid cat." Ryuji swatted him away with his hand. "I don't know if we can meet every day, but once or twice a week sounds good to me. Change it up a lil'."</p><p>She wasn't quite sure of what to say. On the surface, it sounded like a good idea, but what if "Chie" still managed to find them? They'd look even more suspicious. And Shiho...</p><p>Ann wasn't even sure if her friend was alive. No one from the hospital was telling her anything. </p><p>"It's kinda late. My caretakers are probably wondering where I am." Ann stood up with a grimace. Her legs were still sore from the fight a few days ago, and felt like jelly after sitting for so long. "How about I sleep on it tonight about get back to you guys in the morning. Deal?"</p><p>"Deal. Don't do anything stupid on your way home." Ryuji shot her a grin. </p><p>"Sounds good. I won't be mad with whatever decision you make." Akira assured. His energy was completely different from Ryuji's, but for whatever reason, Ann couldn't see them as anything but close friends.</p><p>She gave a smile back. "Thanks. Have a good night." </p><p>They all said a final farewell before Ann was able to leave the cafe. The lobby was completely silent, and the lights were off. The owner was probably at his house, asleep or watching T.V. It was kinda funny how ordinary the owner was compared to Akira. </p><p>She pushed open the door after unlocking it and began her trek through the dark streets. Sounds of barking dogs, crying, and moving vehicles prevented the night from being quiet, but after living here her whole life, Ann couldn't imagine anything different. </p><p>What was Akira like, before he came to Tokyo and before he was wrongly accused? Was he happy in his hometown? Did he have other friends that missed him? </p><p>She'd probably never know. </p><p>Ann walked into the subway station, paid with her pass, and got onto the train to take her home. The car was somewhat empty, most of the passengers either coming home from a long day at work or going to a night shift. She was the only teenager there. </p><p>Might as well be entertained during the ride, if no one was willing to strike up a conversation. She unraveled her earbuds, plugged them into her phone, and scrolled through her playlists. She needed something upbeat right now. </p><p>"Signs of Love" by Sapphire sounded good. It was some of her older stuff, from the time right before she transitioned from the name Risette, but it was a classic. </p><p>
  <em>"Signs of love overshadows my dreams<br/>
Baby, don't worry coz you ain't alone<br/>
Only time running days without nights<br/>
Tears pass through</em><br/>
<br/>
<em>Every time look at the picture in the frame<br/>
Gaze in fascination so hard<br/>
You still think that is nothing but love<br/>
Rain still falls"</em>
</p><p>Well, the lyrics weren't exactly the "upbeat" she'd been looking for, but Sapphire's voice was so soft and calming that it worked. </p><p>The rest of her way home was to the soundtrack of that album, smoothly transitioning from one song to another. Ann knew every lyric by heart, but that didn't stop her from just listening to Sapphire's enchanting voice. <br/>
<br/>
"Umeko, Mami, I'm home!" Her voice echoed through the spacious apartment. Everything, as usual, was completely and utterly spotless, and every single light was on. If Ann hadn't been outside just minutes before, she wouldn't know if it were day or night. </p><p>She took off her shoes, switched them to slippers, and walked into the entertainment room. Umeko looked up from her crossword and removed her red reading glasses. "Welcome home. Are you hungry?"</p><p>Ann shook her head. "No, I'm fine. I had dinner at a friend's. Did my parents call?"</p><p>"No, not since Monday. But, their social media pages were updated today, if that's any compensation." </p><p>It wasn't much, but it was better than nothing. She smiled tiredly at her caretaker. "It is. Thanks. Where's Mami?"</p><p>Umeko's face said too much. Mami, the older of the two, was like a grandma to Ann. She still didn't know why her parents hired Mami to be a servant, because all she did was cook really yummy meals that completely threw her modeling diet out the window, knit, or watch cheesy game shows. Umeko and the other part-time servants were often cleaning up after not only Ann, but Mami. </p><p>"She decided she could handle a few drinks before you got home. She's in the second guest room asleep."</p><p>"Then she has the same idea I have. Can you draw me a bath real quick? I'm gonna finish tonight's homework, clean up, and pass out."</p><p>"As you wish."  Umeko got off the couch, bowed, and walked to the bathroom to fix a bath(with scented candles and bath salts, of course. The Takamaki household liked to keep things prim and proper).</p><p>Ann stood there, alone, just to gather her thoughts if only for a moment. No homework was getting done tonight. She had time before school and each class where she could finish up. </p><p>Chie. Who was she really? </p><p>She could almost hear Morgana trying to be helpful, or Ryuji suggesting something dumb. They'd only been friends for a little bit, but after the Metaverse, there was no real way to destroy the bond that formed. </p><p>Shiho would've loved the Metaverse. Helping Ann take down Kamoshida? She could already see Shiho's smile. </p><p>"Are you alright, Miss Takamaki?"</p><p>She turned to Umeko. "Huh?"</p><p>"Your eyes. Is something wrong?" </p><p>She felt the space around her eyes. The skin was wet. Had she been crying? "Uh, no. Nothing's wrong. Thanks you for everything, Umeko. You can go home now if you'd like." </p><p>The woman bowed. "Thank you, Miss Takamaki. Your bath is ready."</p><p>The rest of the night was a blur. The bath was quick, her nightly facial routine was robotic and thoughtless, and changing into pajamas was done in seconds. </p><p>When her head hit the pillow, exhaustion immediately began to overcome her senses. It was only moments until she succumbed to the ever-growing lull of sleep. </p><p>And those moments were spent thinking about lyrics from another song by Sapphire. "Reach Out to the Truth."</p><p>
  <em>"Oh God let me out, can you let me out?<br/>
Can you set me free from this dark inner world<br/>
Save me now, last beat in the soul"</em>
</p><p>-0-</p><p>Earlier that day, right after a certain intern left Cafe Leblanc, the same message was received by 29 individuals via text. </p><p>From: Kei Nanjo &lt;nanjogroupno.1@kmail.com&gt;<br/>
To: N Toudou, M Sonomura, M Inaba, H Uesugi, R Kido...and 24 others.</p><p>Greetings, old and new companions alike. </p><p>I am Kei Nanjo, owner of the Nanjo Group and the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Japan. Some of you may know me from high school or other private events, and others from my name or reputation. How you know me is not of importance. </p><p>The issue at hand is. My cousin, Mitsuru Kirijo, current Program Director and Founder of the government branch known as S.E.E.S, has assured me that her companions have been briefed on the current issue in Tokyo and have been accommodated accordingly. By her word, all twenty nine of you should be in Tokyo by now. </p><p>Please make your way to the Ivory Room at Shangri-La hotel. A source of legal identification(Driver's Licenses, Passports, etc) will be required for entry. </p><p>I am patiently awaiting your arrival. </p><p>Yours,</p><p>Kei Nanjo. </p><p>Ulala had to put all her effort into controlling herself from laughing. She was at a subway station, stretching her legs after a few hours of sightseeing, and she got this super professional and high strung email from Nanjo. </p><p>Maybe it was just the exhaustion being converted by her brain into a type of hysteria, but she found the whole thing to be knee-slappingly hilarious. </p><p>"What's so funny?" </p><p>She shoved her phone in Kaoru's face. For someone who was a whiz at anything and everything related to computers, he wasn't on them as often as people thought. Well, if someone was to look at him over the past few days, they would think the opposite but that was because a hacker was trying to break into the Nanjo Group database and he was on the other end putting up firewalls and encryption to stop them. Eventually they gave up, and that was the window of opportunity Ulala took to drag him out of the house for once.</p><p>It didn't take long for him to read it. His reaction to the message wasn't nearly as emotive as hers had been, but it was enough to know he at least acknowledged it. "Hm." </p><p>"I know, right? It's totally like him to sound like a doorknob in front of new people. I wonder who the other 24 are. Like, you and I are two of them, then Katsuya and Maya definitely, Eriko, and maybe Tatsuya? Oh! And all of his classmates we met at the cafe. But that definitely wasn't enough people to amount to 24."</p><p>He lit a cigarette and drew in a breath. Exhaling, he said, "Kirijo's associates. Those must be the others."</p><p>"Oh yeah! Those guys must be government agents, since she's the Director of S.E.E.S. I've never heard of it, but it must be like the P.S.I.A or something. That's kinda intimidating, if you think about it." Ulala rambled on, not even caring about half of the words tumbling thoughtlessly out of her mouth. </p><p>If he were any other person, he would've left her in the dust by now and she'd be stuck working some job as a cashier at McDonald's or a bartender in some dirty little bar. But Kaoru didn't mind her ramblings or her crazy sense of fashion. </p><p>The saying "Opposites attract" really did apply when it came to the two of them. Neither were interested in romance, but instead, friendship. Through thick and thin, no matter what dispute came between them, they would always end up back at each other's sides. </p><p>Or so Ulala hoped. </p><p>Maybe it wasn't her fate to end up with a man, or to have kids. Even if she got pregnant tomorrow, it would be a high risk pregnancy due to age. She didn't know if she could handle that sort of grief that usually came alongside if anything went wrong. </p><p>But maybe it was her fate to stay with him. He'd lost someone close to him, and though she could never, ever close the gap she left behind, Ulala tried to at least be the padding for the fall. </p><p>"Uh-huh. Want to go now?" </p><p>His dry, straight-to-the-point words were as precise as always. Ulala brightened. "Of course! I'll never give up a chance to see Ma-ya and Katsuya." </p><p>His lips turned upwards and he crushed the cigarette beneath his shoe. "Then let's arrive before Captain Sideburns."</p><p>"Still using that dumb nickname?" </p><p>Kaoru shrugged. "It'll be used until the day he shaves those damned things. I cut my hair."</p><p>She rolled her eyes. "That was for a hair donation. I don't think that counts."</p><p>"Sure it does. You grew out your hair and cut it as well, and you tell everyone that you cut it." He paid for the subway ticket back, and handed Ulala her own. </p><p>"That's because I actually decided not to cut it for the donation. You just had to walk up there and get what, two feet chopped off?"</p><p>"Just shy of three, actually."</p><p>"Damn, I didn't know you were secretly Rapunzel." She smirked. "Has "The Captain" seen it yet, your hair?"</p><p>Kaoru mulled it over silently, as he did most things. Ulala shoved her hands in her skirt pocket and just continued at an even pace at his side. </p><p>"No, not unless he checked my profile online. Then again, he's the kind of person who would do that." He decided upon an answer as the two of them came to a halt at the train safety line. </p><p>All she could do was agree. </p><p>"Yep."</p><p>-0-</p><p>Yuka Hara could count on one hand the number of times she'd stepped into a 5-star hotel. The first time was for a friend of her husband's wedding, and the second(and last) time was for a public event that took place in the lobby. </p><p>Never had she stayed in the rooms, never had she experienced the service, and never had she dreamt that as a 36 year old woman with two children, a shitty part time job as a server, and a lazy husband who didn't let her spend any of his absurd amounts of money, that she would be able to. </p><p>But here she was, standing with a suitcase in one hand and the warm hand of her younger son in the other. </p><p>"Mom, can we go see our room?" Her older son, Takuji, asked. He'd been reluctant to leave home with her at first, complaining about friends and school like most kids would, but after a quick word from his father, he agreed.</p><p> Yuka didn't want to think about what he said to Takuji. He'd uncharacteristically gone from unenthusiastic to ecstatic in a flash. </p><p>Still, that energy was good for Eijiro. He was in a much more delicate state, confused why they even left Mikage in the first place. He hadn't let go of her hand since they entered the train station. "Momma, I need to go pee first."</p><p>She took in a deep breath and hoped that Nanjo knew an excellent babysitter. There was no way she was going to be able to leave a 16 year old and a 5 year old in the same apartment for even a day without one strangling the other. </p><p>"Okay. Mommy's gonna go ask the nice lady at the desk for our keys, then we can go upstairs to our room and use the bathroom there, alright?"</p><p>Eijiro looked uncertain, and said nothing. Well, it was better than tears or wetting your pants right there and then. She'd take what she could get. </p><p>Slapping on a nice, friendly smile, the one she used when her husband's friends were around, Yuka approached the concierge. </p><p>"Hi, I'm a guest of Mr. Kei Nanjo. He said that I had a room here?" </p><p>The woman at concierge looked unimpressed. "Name?"</p><p>"Yuka Hara. If that's not there, then Yuka Ayase. It's my maiden name."</p><p>She bent down and typed something into the computer. "May I have a form of legal identification?"</p><p>Why? That made no sense. Maybe because Nanjo was paying and not her? Yuka removed her wallet from her purse and handed over her Driver's License. </p><p>"I see. Your room will be number 201. Please enjoy your stay." The woman's disposition shifted instantly to that of someone who is bubbly and smiley as Yuka was give two keys and her Driver's License. </p><p>She mentally rolled her eyes, but externally mirrored the woman's new face. "Thank you so much. Come on boys, a new journey lays ahead!"</p><p>Takuji "smiled". It honestly looked more like a grimace. If he wanted to pursue acting in high school like he said, then he'd have to step up his game. Or he was actually good at it and Yuka just had amazing motherly instincts. "Sounds fun! Eiji, hurry or else I'm gonna be able to choose which side of the bed is mine!"  </p><p>Yuka slipped him one of the room keys and her tote. "Do not order room service. Do not eat anything in the mini fridge. If you're hungry, I have snacks in the bag. I'll be back soon." She whispered. </p><p>"Okay, okay." He waved her off. "I'll make sure everything runs smoothly."</p><p>"Love you." She gave him a peck on the cheek. He was getting too tall for her forehead kisses. </p><p>He pretended to be grossed out. "Ew, love you too."</p><p>Eiji was already at the elevator, humming with energy as it descended from floors above. Yuka waved Takuji goodbye and watched him catch up just as the doors slid open. </p><p>She could be alone for just one night. </p><p>-0-</p><p>It felt good to dress up for herself. To put on makeup, a dress, fancy shoes and jewelry not to impress random strangers, but to feel nice and respectable. </p><p>Yuka slipped into her dress in the lobby bathroom, relishing in the feeling of semi expensive fabric draping over her body instead of the usual worn cotton shorts or starched polyester ones from work. She pulled out a curling iron and carefully arranged her hair in a stylish, loose style that was very popular on television. A coat of lipstick, a dab of eye shadow, and a brush of blush left her feeling like she did the night of her last school dance. </p><p>She didn't want to recognize herself when she looked in the mirror. She didn't want to be tied to the tired, overworked person she was during the day. She wanted to be Just Yuka for tonight. </p><p>Her phone chimed with the sound of a notifcation just as she slipped on her heels. </p><p>
  <b>Takuji &lt;3, Today at 5:17 pm<br/>
Eiji's watching T.V. Everything's good. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>Takuji &lt;3, Today at 5:17 pm<br/>
<em>has sent you a photo</em></b><br/>
<br/>
<b>Takuji &lt;3, Today at 5:18 pm<br/>
And I just got into the shrimp chips. Have fun. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>You, Today at 5:20 pm<br/>
u 2 </b>
</p><p>She contemplated sending a heart emoji, but went against it. He knew her well enough to understand the love behind her message. </p><p>She put her phone away, zipped up her suitcase, and just stared in the mirror. She was pretty. Not nearly as much of a knockout she was twenty years ago, but still better than most moms her age. </p><p>She was satisfied, and left after washing her hands, suitcase in hand.</p><p>And just as the door closed, the lights above flickered. </p><p>-0-</p><p>"Welcome, everyone, to the first-ever Japanese Persona User Gathering. I am Kei Nanjo, co-founder and funder of this event. I hope that within the next few months, we learn to respect each other and work together towards the common goal of protecting the world we love."</p><p>Rise sat on a chair in the front row, beside a woman old enough to be her mom and a college-aged girl with light blue hair. Her hands played with the random little charms and accessories she attached to her phone, and her mind wandered aimlessly as she tried her hardest to focus on the speech. </p><p>But with how boring Kei Nanjo was, it frankly was becoming harder and harder to keep her attention on the bespectacled business man. Her day was exhausting enough as it was, and now she was expected to sit still for at least an hour and listen to him drone on? </p><p>If she fell asleep during this conference it wouldn't be her fault. </p><p>
  <b>You, Today at 5:32 PM<br/>
hey is any1 else superrrrrrrrrrr bored</b>
</p><p>
  <b>You, Today at 5:32 PM<br/>
</b>
  <b>this old guy is making me zzzzzzzzzz</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Naoto, Today at 5:33 PM<br/>
</b>
  <b>PAY ATTENTION. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>Yosuke, Today at 5:33 PM<br/>
</b>
  <b>Dude, I'm really bored too dw. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>Yukiko, Today at 5:34 PM<br/>
</b>
  <b>It is still respectful not to be on your phones. If you are truly that bored, may I suggest looking at the art on the walls?</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Chie, Today at 5:35 PM<br/>
</b>
  <b>yo where r u guys</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Yu, Today at 5:35 PM<br/>
</b>
  <b>yo</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Yukiko, Today at 5:35 PM<br/>
Chie, we're at the Shangri-La hotel in Tokyo</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Kanji, Today at 5:35 PM<br/>
</b>
  <b>Hello!</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Yosuke, Today at 5:35 PM<br/>
</b>
  <b>where are you is the better question</b>
</p><p>
  <b>You, Today at 5:35 PM<br/>
</b>
  <b>o ur online kk</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Chie, Today at 5:36 PM<br/>
</b>
  <b>NO WAY</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Yosuke, Today at 5:36 PM<br/>
</b>
  <b>??????????????</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Chie, Today at 5:36 PM<br/>
</b>
  <b>IM THERE TOO</b>
</p><p>As if on cue, Chie walked out from behind a curtain. </p><p>"To present a quick debriefing on the information currently gathered, we have Mrs. Tamaki Uchida, Ms. Mitsuru Kirijo, and Ms. Chie Satonaka. Please give them a hand."</p><p>Rise sent a look at Kanji, who was sitting right behind her, but he just shrugged. His guess was as good as hers for why Chie, of all people, was selected to be a guest speaker.</p><p>"First will be Mitsuru Kirijo, giving a debrief on the different groups of Persona Users gathered, the events they went through, and a general overview of what is to be expected."</p><p>Rise clapped politely, expecting Mitsuru to paraphrase what Yu told them yesterday. Seven months of a deadline, Tokyo, more than one God, that sorta thing. </p><p>"Thank you. In this crowd, I see people of all different ages, backgrounds, and careers. I see old comrades and new allies. I see men and women, girls and boys. But there's one thing that you all share. The capability to fight. All of you have been through immense hardships, an all of you have emerged victorious. It is that shared trait that gives me the confidence that we will once again conquer the task at hand."</p><p>She smiled at the audience.</p><p>"But of course, there are precautions that we need to take along the way. First will be the sharing of events. Knowing what your comrades went through is crucial to understanding them and their abilities. So, in the dossier located underneath your seat, is a brief but detailed explanation of each supernatural event your allies have fought through, as well as a list of who was involved at the top of each page."<br/>
<br/>
Rise picked up the manilla folder marked, "Rise Kujikawa" on the front. She noticed it before, using it as a way to pick her seat, but hadn't yet opened it. Something told her to wait a little longer until reading. She placed it across her lap and looked back at Mitsuru, powerful and captivating as always. </p><p>"Now that you've located the dossier, please hold off on reading until the speeches are done in full. It would make little sense to read about people whose names you cannot attach to a face, would it not? So, let us go on to what we are gathered here to do. There have been several reading detected by my team, the Shadow Operatives, that have indicated a couple of incredibly powerful forces growing in Tokyo. So powerful that their signatures are similar to that of deities and Gods. So, it is our duty to find out what their objective is, to try and negotiate peacefully, and if that fails, fight them and beat them into submission."</p><p>"Hell yeah!" Someone cheered from behind. That gained a few chuckles from the audience, including a smile from Rise. Nothing like good ol' team spirit. </p><p>Mitsuru even lighted up a bit from that. "Thank you. Last but not least, I'm sure you all are aware of the specifics of this mission from one of our informants, that being my cousin, Kei Nanjo, my assistant, Labrys, or myself. If you have any further questions, feel free to ask any one of us. Now, please give a hand for Mrs. Tamaki Uchida."</p><p>Rise clapped for the short, brunette woman who walked up to the pedestal. She looked kind and friendly, although Kanzeon was telling her that something about Tamaki was not right. She had a different energy than everyone else in the room, and it wasn't the energy of just a normal person. </p><p>"Hello. I'm Tamaki Uchida, a detective for the Kuzunoha Detective Agency. I'm very glad to be here, especially since I can see so many faces that I haven't seen in years. But I'm not up here to talk about the past, am I? I'm here to talk to you all about Demons."</p><p>That was not what Rise expected her to say. At all. Demons?</p><p>It looked like she wasn't alone. Majority of the attendees looked just as confused as she was. </p><p>Tamaki just laughed at their confusion. "Don't worry, I'll explain. I was just as confused a few weeks ago when I heard about Personas. See, I'm not a Persona-User, but I can still summon creatures to fight for me in battles. I'm called a Devil Summoner. If you are aware of the T.V. show from the 90s called "Devil Summoner" with the character Kyouji Kuzunoha, I'm that in real life. With the use of a portable arm computer, I can see demons everywhere I go, and with a little bit of convincing, they'll usually join me and help me. It's somewhat close to the Wildcard ability from what I've been told, since I can swap out whatever demons I need whenever I want. The only drawback is that I need to pay each demon in Magnetite for however long I use them."</p><p>She held up her arm, which had this sleek black square on it connected to a few wires that disappeared behind her back. "For demonstration, I'll be summoning a Jack Frost."</p><p>A Jack Frost? But wasn't there only one? </p><p>Tamaki turned on her arm computer, typed in a few things, and it beeped. Tamaki smiled and gestured with her hands to an empty space. "There he is!"</p><p>Nothing was there. </p><p>Rise stood up. "Um, Miss, there's nothing there." She didn't want Tamaki to embarrass herself. </p><p>"Trust me, there is. Jack Frost, can you do a simple Bufu on that podium?"</p><p>A voice came from that empty spot. "Hee-ho!"</p><p>And just as she asked, soon the podium was encased in a layer of frost. Rise was stunned. How could she not see it? </p><p>"Thank you, Jack Frost, for helping." Her computer beeped again. "And now he's gone! So I'll get to answering questions, starting with the obvious ones. The reason you couldn't see him, people of Tatsumi Port Island and Inaba, is because you haven't accepted the idea that this can happen in real life. I know that my friends from St. Hermelin and Sumaru City can see them because that's what made them gain their Personas in the first place, the belief that this was happening in the real world. But since the other two groups had the Dark Hour and the TV World, there was no reason to believe that Demons, or as you call them, Shadows, could exist in the real world. Getting over that mental block will be crucial in the next few months, and I'm here to help you all get over it. Questions?" </p><p>Rise rose her hand, one arm joining a forest of others around her. Tamaki took it all in, looking around. "Wow, you guys are a good audience. How about I start with you, Yukino?" </p><p>Rise turned around and looked at the person selected to speak. A tall, pale woman with dark, thick, and curly hair sitting on her shoulders who was wearing an emerald green jacket. </p><p>"It's great to see you, Uchida, but I do have a few concerns. Starting with how we're going to get the people who couldn't see the Jack Frost to summon their Personas in the real world. Do you suggest them getting those computers that you have? Or do we have them play the Persona game?"</p><p>"Oh, good question!" Tamaki walked back up to the stand without touching it. "The only problem is that I don't have an answer. I'm here mostly to answer questions that concern COMPs, demons, and the like. I'm sure that Nanjo has an answer though! How about you next, the person with a baseball cap?"</p><p>Oh, Junpei. Rise hoped that he would ask a question that she'd find useful too. </p><p>He shoved his hands in his pockets. "Hiya. I'm Junpei Iori. I wanna know more about the demons. Can you tell me some more of the benefits and drawbacks of using them? Because if they really are like the Wildcard ability, wouldn't it be an insane power boost if we all just learned to summon demons?"</p><p>"That's a great idea! Let me quickly tell you the benefits and drawbacks of being a Devil Summoner. The benefits are that you can have several demons out at once, and you can utilize their magic abilities to target your enemy's weaknesses. And if you have, for example, a pixie in your party, then if you come upon a group of pixies they won't fight you and they'll leave you alone. Downsides are mostly Magnetite. Magnetite is the force that keeps demons alive in the physical world, so if you run out they start to die. Humans are naturally rich in magnetite, and usually you replenish it by just waiting a few minutes. Its like your energy reserves. But in a pinch, you may not be able to have the time to recover. Oh, and summoning demons also just drains you in general, so it's not a good idea to summon three party members on one hour of sleep." </p><p>That sounded pretty useful, at least to her. To be able to fight and control what type of attacks you can do? Rise would be able to be a Navigator and help out her friends on the front lines at the same time. </p><p>The next few questions were from old friend of Tamaki's, asking about why she was a Devil Summoner, how she was, etc. And then there were a few questions about demons, but Kanzeon already told Rise about demons whenever she did a scan. She ended up flipping through the folder, waiting for Chie's bit. </p><p>"First known event concerning Persona users-Mikage Cho, 1996"</p><p>That was the thing about SEBEC that Yu talked about. She'd read the details later. Right now, she was more interested in what happened in Sumaru City in 1999. </p><p>What the hell. </p><p>What happened in Sumaru City that warranted that over half of the page be removed with a [REDACTED]?</p><p>-0-</p><p>He was confused. He was uncomfortable. Worst of all, he was...<em>scared</em>.</p><p>Last week was normal. A perfectly fine week with cups of coffee, late nights, and file upon file stacked up at the police station. He was used to that. </p><p>He was used to getting home from work, flipping on the radio in the garage, and just working on whatever project was currently in his garage at the time for sun. To relax. He was used to that. </p><p>He was used to meeting up with Jun after work for a date night or sometimes just slipping into bed too late at night and snuggling up against his husband's chest. He was used to that, and liked it. </p><p>He was not used to magic, and other worlds, and demons. He was not used to his brother, the most rational person he knew, acting like everything coming out of these people's mouths was true. He definitely was not used to people treating him like a ticking time bomb. </p><p>He hated it. </p><p>He was Tatsuya Suou, a man who liked things he could touch. Things he could feel the weight of in his hands. Things that he could open up and figure out how they worked. He was not a palm reader, he was not a fantasy hero, and he was not believing a single thing he heard from Katsuya's strange group of rich and powerful friends that were apparently insane. </p><p>Or maybe he was insane.</p><p>Maybe this was a dream?</p><p>It sure felt like it when he saw a pedestal instantly be covered in ice. </p><p>He really, really hoped it was a dream. </p><p>But some cruel, mischievous force deep, deep inside, deeper than an subconscious thought, told him that this was all real. </p><p>And he was terrified to think of the implications of that. </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Author's Note!</p><p>Hello all! I hope you're doing well, and I hope this new chapter is a pleasant surprise. As of recent, I've gotten a job, so my time has been a lot more limited. And due to where I live, school will be starting up soon. So I really pushed myself to get this done before I could have even less free time. </p><p>I hope my rush doesn't show, but who knows? I'm sure that I'll know from your wonderful reviews. </p><p>Now, I know it would probably make more sense just to make this chapter extra long and have the whole conference in it, but the conference alone is big enough to take up an entire chapter, so I decided to break it up a bit. I mean, everyone's gonna get to know everyone, so I gotta spend time on interactions. Instead, we have a beginning, we have a Tamaki! and we have some background on Ann, Baofu/Ulala, and poor Tatsu :(, plus some more p4 kids texts because oh my god you have no idea how addictive writing those are. This chapter was fun to write, it just took a while because of real life. </p><p>But fear not, this will be done or else my username isn't Msperfectsheep. </p><p>Once again, I'm looking for betas and in general just people who love SMT/Persona. I run several RPs on Discord and moderate a few hangout servers where we can just chill and chat your favorite game, or even hangout in DMs where we can dream of crazy ideas and AUs. If you want to reach out to me, I'm those2peeps at gmail.com and Fluff#0929 on Discord. </p><p>Love you all, </p><p>Msperfectsheep </p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Please, if you liked it, comment your favorite lines and remember to give a kudos!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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